


The Mirror Crack'd

by DarkJediQueen, Rivermoon1970



Series: The Mirror Verse [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Bad Science, Blood Play, Canon Child Rape, Child Abuse, D/s, Edging, Ephebophilia, Flashbacks, Food Porn, Hard BDSM, Impact Play, M/M, Mind Games, Mirror Verse, Murder, Mutilation, Scarification, Spanking, Torture, Twisted love, Voyeurism, breath play, flaying, non consensual drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 14:12:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 16
Words: 383,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7055821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkJediQueen/pseuds/DarkJediQueen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivermoon1970/pseuds/Rivermoon1970
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The science was fun, and though they knew there was an element of danger Spencer thought they had all the calculations down pat. But, when the blast door sealed shut he knew he had only seconds. Those seconds changed his life. Thrown into a world he doesn't understand, with danger coming from those he trusted, can he get back home in one piece? Or will he be lost and damaged forever?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wednesdays__child](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wednesdays__child/gifts).



> **Year** : Season 7 
> 
> Please check the tags with each updated chapter. As we write, we will be adding tags and warnings.

#  _Our World_

Spencer Reid grabbed his phone as it buzzed. He was almost done with his files for the day and Hotch had promised him that he could leave as soon as he was done. It was near two and he figured he could be out of the office by two thirty, if no one bothered him. It was a text from Hotch asking him to come to his office before he left. Spencer set his phone back down and worked his way through the rest of his files. 

At two twenty nine he slipped his files into the outbox and grabbed his phone. He sent off a text, stood up, and moved towards Hotch's office. His boss was on the phone but waved him in when he stepped into the doorway. The man motioned for him to shut the door and Spencer did, taking the seat across the desk from him. It was something personal or job personal because it was rare for the door to need to be shut. 

"No, it's fine. I'll just slip out with Reid and I can go right to your place to pick up Jack." Hotch smiled a little and laughed. "No, Reid has other plans with a friend tonight so he's not coming over for mac 'n cheese and hot dogs."

Spencer laughed, drawing one of his legs up into the chair to rest his chin on, given the conversation he was pretty sure it was personal. He let his mind wander towards what he was going to be doing with Charlie later on in the day and how much it was going to help him relax. Stress relief was high on the things that he needed to do. It was why Hotch had asked him to try and find something to do once a week that was fun for him, once the man had confronted him about the headaches. Getting lost in the science and helping Charlie had helped immensely with his headaches. Every once in awhile that also meant spending time with Hotch and Jack relaxing and letting go. Mainly Hotch. 

"I'll see you soon, Jessica." Hotch hung up the phone and looked at Spencer. There was that soft look in his eyes again that Spencer cherished seeing. It was different than the look that Jack always got. Different but it meant mostly the same things. They'd been dancing around this for months, moving in slow steps closer and closer. There was no rush to it. The most intimate was when they had been sharing a room three weeks back and Spencer had been having trouble sleeping. Hotch had slipped into bed with him and held him. The feel of the other man with him had allowed him to slip into a dreamless sleep, his mind stopping turning over the facts of the case as it focused on the new sensations. And those sensations lulled him into sleep.

"What did you need, Hotch?" Spencer asked. He kept his leg up in the chair, staring at his boss. 

"Jessica and Jack are going to see a movie tomorrow night. Something animated that I am happy for not seeing as I'm sure when it's out on DVD, I'll be watching it a lot. I guess they have been making plans for weeks to have a date night. Jack's been saving up for it."

"That's sweet."

"Yes. Jack had me get his suit out of my closet. It's at the dry cleaners and Jessica is picking it up tomorrow."

Spencer smiled, watching as Hotch packed up his things for the day. Something must have come up for Jessica and Hotch needed to go and take care of Jack. "What happened?"

"Jessica's dad needs her for something and Jack doesn't want to go with her. I told her it's fine. I can take the afternoon. I have all of my have to dos done. I figure that we can both make a break for it at the same time and it won't raise too many eyebrows."

"Okay. I'm done. Was that all?" The timeline didn't fit. Jessica had just called. He'd got the text a half an hour ago.

"No. Did you want to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Hotch's body language was normal but there was something in his eyes. Wariness, anxiousness. Spencer let his eyes move up and down what he could see of Hotch's body and the longer he was silent the more his hands moved, the sound of shifting feet sounded from under the desk. 

Spencer swallowed. "A date?"

"Yes." Hotch relaxed again and Spencer let his leg drop down to the floor. He sat up straight and smiled. As he did, Hotch's whole body fully relaxed.

"Of course." There was no hesitation in accepting. They had been working towards it and he was actually shocked that Hotch was asking. He figured that they would circle around each other for a while longer. They both knew where it was leading but were enjoying getting to know each other outside of work fully before even attempting to add another layer. Obviously the other man thought that he was ready. Spencer knew that he was as well. 

"Dress nice. I have us reservations at seven. I'll pick you up at your place." Hotch stood up and grabbed his briefcase. Spencer stood up as the older man neared his chair. They walked together to the door. Just as Spencer was grabbing the knob, he felt a hand on his upper arm and he was being spun a little around. He looked at Hotch in confusion. The older man stepped into his personal space and before Spencer could stop himself he was taking a step back. His back pressed into the wood of the door. "Spencer, can I kiss you?"

"Yes." Spencer closed his eyes as Hotch stepped in again. The pressure on his lips was light until he pressed back in as well. The hand on his arm shifted up to cup the back of his head then the other man was pressing him farther into the door. It felt natural to slip his tongue out from between his lips and licked at Hotch's lips. He felt the first tentative touch of tongue on his own and couldn't help the moan that escaped. The older man pulled back quickly and Spencer was a little dizzy. 

"If I didn't stop, we weren't going to."

"I know." Spencer reached up and cupped the left side of Hotch's face and pressed their lips together for one last chaste kiss before the man stepped fully away from him. 

"Go have fun at Georgetown. I'll talk to you tonight, yes?"

"Yes. Have fun with Jack." Spencer turned to open the door and felt a brush of hand at his shoulder and it trailed down to the small of his back before lifting away. His step stuttered as he took the first one out of the office when he had the door fully open. He heard the chuckle from Hotch before he got his feet under him. He wanted to turn his head and stick his tongue out at him but not here. Not at work.

* * *

Spencer settled down in front of the computer that was in the corner of the lab. He could hear Charlie Epps moving around behind him. He had been happy when Charlie had settled in the area after his going abroad. He finished the mathematical sequence and hit enter. For Charlie this was his lifeblood but for Spencer it was fun. It was a chance to unwind and be fully himself. To revel in science and not have to watch what he says. He can say anything and Charlie understands it. From the most complex equation to the weirdest scientific theory. He loved his team and he enjoyed working with them but he hadn't realized exactly how much he would miss this. 

"Spencer, have you finished inputting all the data?" 

"Yes. It's all in there." Spencer turned in his chair to look at Charlie. His friend had been at Georgetown for a few months studying the God Particle with CERN. Charlie had had a breakthrough earlier in the week while Spencer had been on a case and they were a lot closer to replicating the recent experiments coming out of CERN. The biggest breakthrough before that had been when they had got the scale model of the Hadron Collider working in the lab. One of only two in the world that had been successful at this scale. The rest of the people working with Charlie were already gone for the day having put in at least twelve hours. He liked working with just his friend. It was fun.

"Good. Are you ready?" Charlie moved towards the door that separated the collider from the rest of the lab with thirteen and a half inch Lexan. The rest of the walls were all steel and concrete. Spencer followed him into the main computer bay and stood behind as Charlie started up the sequence. It was almost ten o'clock and Spencer had another hour before he had to leave to be able to get at least enough sleep to function at work. And on his date with Hotch. 

Rubbing at his eye, Spencer was happy he'd changed into his glasses before coming to see Charlie. The rooms in the lab were very dry and between them and sitting at the computer his eyes always started to dry out some and with contacts it made his eyes itchier than they already were. 

"Go." Spencer watched as the enter button was hit before he moved his gaze to the collider. His mind was supplying the graphics needed to understand what was happening. He gripped the back of Charlie's chair tight. If something was going to go wrong it would be in the next ten point seven seconds. He could feel his friend's agitation like it was another person in the room. 

The time for a problem to pop up came and went. Spencer counted the seconds after, giving it another ten and Charlie released a breath. He turned his head to look at Spencer, smiling. 

"Ready for me to go and collect the data?" Spencer grabbed the notebook that the rest of the data was written on.

"Go. We can introduce the God Particle in a few minutes if the data is what we want." Charlie stood up to move to the computer bay behind him while Spencer moved to the door. The blast door opened and he entered the room. He looked at the collider and smiled. The screen of the computer in the corner was full of information and Spencer took his time collecting it. Everything was lining up with what they wanted and needed. He had just wrote down the last little bit when he turned. Charlie was trying to open the blast door, pressing the emergency pneumatic button. It was two seconds later that the klaxon started to go off. Spencer raced to the door, pressing his button but it wasn't moving. Spencer looked around and tried to find something to hide behind when he remembered the small alcove where some of the servers were located. Cursing the fact that something bad was going to happen and he wasn't going to get his date, Spencer moved his fastest. He ran to it and just as he touched them he felt the concussive force and then nothing.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer walked into the house with a spring in his step. He knew Aaron would be pleased with the information he was able to get from the woman. This was their first big breakthrough on Foyet’s people and it’s just what they needed to fight against him. Spencer went immediately to the bedroom and took off his clothes. His hand rested on the collar around his neck and smiled. He put his clothes away, Aaron did not like even the slightest bit of messiness. He had learned that the hard way a long-time ago. Spencer had a getaway room that he was allowed to make as much mess as he wanted. Of course that mostly consisted of papers and research. He wasn’t messy, though. Too many years having cleanliness and neatness just about pounded into his brain he unconsciously kept things in their designated places.

He took another moment before he stepped into the bathroom and got ready to take a shower. When the water was finally warm he stepped under and sighed at the feel of the pounding water cascading over his mostly hairless body. He’d gone through laser hair removal, only keeping the hair on his head, eyebrows and his groin, at Aaron’s insistence. Of course it wasn’t that hard to give in to what the man wanted, Spencer would always give in, no matter what it was Aaron wanted. The man had saved him from a life of pain and terror. The only pain he received now was consensual and wanted. Rewards for a job well done.

After he was clean he grabbed the bottle of water resistant lube and started to prepare himself. By the time he slid in the plug and seated it properly he couldn’t help the surge of desire. His cock wasn’t hard though and that was another thing he had quickly learned to control, another thing he understood. His erection and his pleasure belonged to Aaron and it was something he never forgot. Of course the rewards for obedience far outweighed anything else Spencer could think of and he happily gave his submission to the man that had saved him.

Spencer hummed as he dried himself off, making sure every part of him was completely and thoroughly dry. Aaron hated it when even his hair dripped wet. When he was done he stood in front of the full-length mirror admiring the scars that riddled his body, remembering just when he received each and every one and loved them. He brushed a hand over the piercings, the ones on his nipples and the one at his belly button. He sighed softly as he smiled and admired himself in the mirror. He knew intellectually that he was damaged, knew exactly who and what he was and he had absolutely no desire to change it. He loved every single moment of his life. Aaron didn’t just use his body, which he could bring him to the most glorious heights, then down into absolute perfection when he was rewarded with subspace. Aaron used his mind as well, and he gladly let himself be used. He was a tool, a precision instrument that could strike swift and deadly. He trained his body as well as he trained his mind. He no longer worried about bullies or adults who wanted to use him up, he had power and he relished it.

He stepped away from the mirror and walked back into the bedroom but didn’t get dressed. He moved to the side of the bed and pulled out the sub-bench, slowly lowered himself, then wrapped his legs around the underside and sat up with his back straight. He bowed his head and laid his hands on his thighs palms-up, holding the pose he waited for Aaron to come home, hoping for a reward for the information he got on Foyet’s operation.

* * *

When Aaron came home the first thing he did was to seek out his son and find out how his day was. He found the boy in his room reading on his bed, the room ruthlessly clean with his stack of homework neatly sitting on his desk. It was no less than what Aaron would expect from his son.

“Jack, were you good today?” Aaron pulled the boy into his lap and gave him a hug.

“Yes Dad. Uncle Derek says I’m getting better at my hand-to-hand and Emily let me shoot a glock. That was harder than the Colt Diamondback, but Emily said I learn quickly so I should be able to handle it better soon.”

Aaron smiled and kissed the top of Jack’s head, his pride in his son clearly written on his face.

“Yes, you will. Did you get all of the homework Spencer set out for you done?”

“Yes, it’s in my folder for Papa to check.”

“Then you get two more hours reading time, then it’s dinner. If Papa says your homework all looks good we’ll watch a movie, okay?”

“Yes. Can we watch Die Hard? Please Daddy?” The ten-year old jumped off Aaron’s lap and had such excitement in his eyes Aaron just couldn’t say no.

“Of course. You can read in here or if you want to go into the library you can.”

“Thank you Dad.” Jack jumped up excitedly as he ran towards the library. Aaron chuckled at his son and picked-up the folder with Jack’s homework and walked towards his bedroom.

Entering the bedroom his eyes immediately took in Spencer. He smiled as he walked around him, admiring every single naked inch of him. He didn’t touch him, not yet. He was going to let the man wait, raising the anticipation.

Without saying a word Aaron entered his walk-in closet and carefully stripped putting each piece of his bespoke suit back in it’s exact spot. He did the same with his shoes, watch and cufflinks. He threw the fitted button-up and boxers in separate bins. One for the dry cleaning, and one for the regular laundry.

Opening a drawer, he pulled out a pair of black linen pants and a tight black t-shirt. After he was changed, he stepped back into the bedroom and was pleased that Spencer hadn’t moved. He moved one of the vanity chairs and placed it in front of Spencer then lowered himself in the chair. He reached behind Spencer’s head and grabbed his hair and made him look-up.

“And how was the rest of your day my Pet? Was your errand successful?”

Spencer tried not to close his eyes at the feel of the hand in his hair. Aaron knew just how much pleasure Spencer got from him grabbing and pulling his hair. Aaron rested the other hand just under Spencer’s neck right at the breastbone. The promise of either pleasure, or pain which depended on what Spencer was going to tell him.

“The woman gave me everything. Names, dates of possible attacks against you and their current base of operations. She also gave me the name of the new agents in Foyet’s unit. I haven’t written it down yet. Wanted to wait for you.” Aaron was more than pleased with how well Spencer was controlling himself and the information was a boon. He hadn’t been sure how much the woman knew but it was worth it to hear that she had known the names of the new agents.

“And what did you do with the woman, Pet?”

Spencer smiled a cruel smile as he looked-up at Aaron with soft dreamy eyes.

“She screamed for me so pretty, Sir. Then I made her light go out and it was beautiful.”

“Then you deserve a reward, Pet.” Aaron slid his hand up and lightly wrapped his fingers around Spencer’s neck eliciting a sharp intake of breath and a shiver. Slowly he released him then slid his hand further up to cup Spencer’s cheek and leaned down to kiss him softly as his fingers tightened on the sub’s hair. He pulled away after a moment and ordered Spencer to stand. Aaron walked to a large locked cabinet and taking the key from around his neck he opened it.

“Come here Pet.” He gestured for Spencer to join him. As soon as the young man was standing in front of him Aaron turned him to look inside the cabinet. He wrapped his arms around Spencer, kissing and licking up the side of his neck. “Choose two.” Aaron whispered in Spencer’s ear making the sub shiver in anticipation.

Aaron heard Spencer suck in his breath as he ran his hand over each of the items hanging in the cabinet. It took him a few minutes to decide and Aaron stayed patient. Spencer finally picked up a suede and silicon knotted flogger and the long split-tail bullwhip. He turned in Aaron’s arms and handed the two impact instruments to him.

Aaron set the items on the bed then pulled open a drawer with various sized compartments. Almost like a jewelry drawer, but this one held so much more. Taking out what looked-like a set of teardrop charms he attached them to Spencer’s nipple rings which made them pull down, they were small weights specifically made just for this purpose. He then pulled out a y-chain and attached the two ends to the nipple rings and the other to the belly ring, the slight weight of the chain also pulled on the nipple rings.

Aaron then reached in and pulled out a leash that he threw on the bed. The last thing he took out before they left the room was a soft leather cock cage. He took a moment and grabbed Spencer’s half-hard cock and roughly stroked till he was fully erect. He snapped each band together making sure it was snug against Spencer’s cock, keeping him erect but it would also prevent him from coming too soon.

“Go to your closet and put on the purple and black robe, nothing else.” Aaron rumbled in Spencer’s ear.

Biting his lip Spencer turned and immediately left the main room. He came back a moment later with the robe tied around his waist to keep it closed. Picking-up the leash Aaron attached it to Spencer’s collar and tugging lightly on it he signaled Spencer that they were leaving the bedroom. They padded softly through the large house till they got to the stairs that led to the dungeon.

As soon as they entered and the door clicked shut Aaron grabbed the belt of the robe and untied it. Slowly he slid the robe off Spencer, and stepped closer to capture his mouth in a deep kiss. He felt Spencer’s arms come around him and felt how his lover moaned in pleasure. He allowed the small indiscretion for he enjoyed kissing Spencer more than anything else. Aaron licked at his lips encouraging Spencer to open for him.

They stood wrapped together devouring each other’s mouths, each kiss hungrier than the last. Each kiss, each touch was calculated on Aaron’s part, he wanted Spencer hard and aching. Before the night was done he knew he’d have Spencer begging for his cock. Just that thought alone made Aaron hard, but he had too much control over his own body and would only come when he was buried in his sub’s ass.

Aaron pulled back and grabbed Spencer’s right wrist and gently forced his arm back behind him. He did the same with the left then held both wrists in an iron grip. Sliding his free hand over Spencer’s now flushed skin Aaron took the time to relish in the feel of each scar as he slowly slid his hand down to grip Spencer’ already leaking cock.

“Should I let you come Spencer?” Aaron asked as he gripped the caged cock in his hand tight. 

Spencer whimpered in his arms and tried not to thrust.

“Words Spencer, or this will end.”

“Please, Sir.”

“What’s your safe word?”

“Desmios.” Spencer practically whined at what Aaron was doing to him. The word had been picked by Spencer a long time ago because he loved the Greek language. The younger man had chosen the word to show he was bound to Aaron. Forever.

“Will it take the edge off Pet?” Aaron kissed him then slid his tongue up along Spencer’s cheek.

“Yes.” Spencer whined as his eyes closed and his head lolled back.

“I’m going to take off the cage and remember don’t come.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Aaron unsnapped the cage and slipped it in the pocket of his pants. He lowered to his knees and took Spencer’s now engorged cock in his mouth. Slowly he slid his lips up and down the hard flesh before he eventually let it slide all the way to the back of his throat. He released Spencer’s wrists and gripped his hips with both hands then relaxed his throat and let Spencer slide even more in his mouth. He was deep throating his sub knowing it was going to be the quickest way for him to achieve release. He knew Spencer wanted to touch, but he waited for permission. Aaron lifted a hand and grabbed one of Spencer’s and placed it on his head, it was an unspoken signal that it was okay to touch him. As soon as Spencer buried his fingers in Aaron’s hair, he felt he was close to release. Aaron hummed as he made little bobbing head movements keeping the head at the back of his throat. Spencer grunted as he came down Aaron’s throat.

Aaron stood and kissed Spencer once again, letting the sub chase the flavor of himself in Aaron’s mouth. It didn’t take long to get his sub hard again and when he did he put the cage back on then led him to the wall that had chains dangling from it. Aaron had Spencer face the wall and he chained his arms out to the sides. Aaron put cuffs at wrists, elbows and upper arm to help support him. He then put cuffs around his ankles and thighs.

“So beautiful for me Spence. If you want to cry out, you can. I’ll have you begging for my cock before we’re through, isn’t that right Pet?”

Panting hard as he leaned into the wall he looked to the side, “Yes, Sir.”

Aaron had put the two items Spencer had picked out on a table near the wall. But before he used either of those he picked-up a soft suede flogger that he would start with. This was used to let Spencer settle and let himself get in the right headspace for what Aaron had planned.

After working Spencer over for a few minutes he exchanged instruments and grabbed the knotted flogger. He didn’t hold back. Each stroke of the whip made such beautiful sounds against Spencer’s body it made Aaron hard. When Spencer started to break out in a sweat and his body was full of welts Aaron paused.

“Tell me how you are Spencer.” Aaron grabbed Spencer’s hair holding his head up.

“S’good. Sir.” Aaron knew that Spencer was slipping into subspace but he wasn’t quite all the way there. Smiling he stepped away and went to the small fridge and pulled out a bottle of water then grabbed a straw and put it in so it would be easier for Spencer to drink.

“Drink.” He commanded.

Spencer looked up at him with glassy eyes and grinned. Aaron put the straw in his mouth and let Spencer take a few sips. Taking it away he set the water on the table then exchanged the flogger for the bullwhip.

Aaron took a moment, snapping the whip expertly against the floor Spencer’s body shook with each loud crack that resonated through the air. When he was satisfied with his wrist movements he snapped the whip against Spencer’s body, who then cried out at the sudden flare of pain. The split tail with the sharp leather darts on the end making even more pronounced marks on the subs body. Pulling back, he waited a moment and snapped it again hitting the soft flesh. Spencer screamed out and Aaron hardened even more.

“Sir, please, sir fuck me, please fuck me.” Spencer was begging with each crack of the whip against his body. Aaron gave his sub a few more strokes and only stopped when he saw how much Spencer was shaking with need.

He set the whip aside and grabbed a towel from the stack he kept next to the large sink. He wet one with some warm water then walked back to Spencer and carefully wiped the sweat off his body.

“Please,” Spencer was begging to the point of tears. Aaron reached down and started to pull out the plug when Spencer groaned. Smiling to himself he gripped the base of the plug and slowly fucked Spencer with it as he wrapped an arm around his front and tugged on the chain. Spencer arched almost violently at the sudden pull then slumped back forward.

“Please what Spencer?” Aaron whispered in his ear.

“Please I need you. Please fuck me, make me come.” He begged again. Aaron leaned in and slowly inhaled smelling Spencer’s arousal mixed with his sweat. It was intoxicating. He licked up Spencer’s neck, then his cheek. Aaron took a few minutes to lick at the scars on Spencer’s upper shoulders and back as his hand cupped his sub’s cock. He moaned low at how hard Spencer was as he stroked over the cage. Spencer bowed his back and begged even more. Aaron knew if he kept up his ministrations on the scars his Pet could come from that alone. But he had other plans for him.

“Only because you’ve done so well.” Aaron pulled the plug all the way out before he grabbed the lube that was also on the small table near the wall. He took off his pants and t-shirt then generously slicked-up his cock after he came to stand behind Spencer. He lined himself up and pushed inside, the head pushing past the tight ring of muscle. Spencer’s head lolled back onto Aaron’s shoulder which gave him incentive to push himself all the way in. When his groin was flush with Spencer’s ass he started to move.

“Yes, Sir. Fuck me so good Sir.” Spencer was slipping farther, his eyes glazed and his mouth was slack as Aaron pumped in and out fast and hard. When he felt he was close he reached around and once again undid the cage and threw it aside. He wrapped his hand around the now achingly hard member and whispered in Spencer’s ear.

“Come for me Spencer.” The deep growl in his ear and the commanding tone had his body responding before his brain could catch-up. His body tensed and he cried out as he came. Aaron’s eyes rolled in the back of his head as his movements sped up and he fucked his sub hard and fast coming only moments later. Still buried inside Spencer he reached over and undid the cuffs holding Spencer’s wrists, and arms. He released one at a time and just held the limp man against his chest. They stayed like that for a few moments, Aaron stroked his body helping them both to come down. Aaron pulled out and almost chuckled at the little whine Spencer emitted.

“Can you stand Pet?”

Aaron had Spencer lean against the wall while he uncuffed his legs, then helped him back in his robe. He grabbed his pants and shirt and put them back on then led Spencer up to their room. After getting him to drink some water and a soothing bath Aaron bundled Spencer up and led him to the bed. He laid the blissed out man down and pulled the wrist cuffs out from their cubby and secured them around Spencer’s wrists. Kissing the side of his neck he crawled in beside him and pulled the man close. He knew Spencer would need a couple of hours sleep before they had dinner and the promised movie with Jack.

Several hours later they put a very happy, but tired little boy to bed, then went back to their own room and also got ready for bed. Once again Spencer was cuffed and he immediately fell asleep, contentment shone on his face.

“Sleep well my Pet.” Aaron said as he snuggled down next to Spencer holding him close, his own contentment settling over him.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer was cold and that was a jarring sensation. He was never cold. Not after a night like he'd had before. He shifted and his wrist rubbed on the bed, he felt the bed linens on his wrist. His naked wrist. He jerked up to a sitting position and threw his eyes open wide. Beyond the bed all he saw was blurs but he pulled his wrist up to his eyes. They were bare. His cuffs were gone. Aaron never took off his cuffs when he was sleeping, never. The sound of talking was trying to break through but all he could hear was the beeping of machines. One of them was beeping rapidly, in tune with his heart. He forced himself to settle down and as he did his vision cleared. He listened to the machine until the beeping was normal. 

He wanted to know what happened because Aaron had played tame with him. There was no way that he'd been injured but it was the only reason that Aaron would have him in a hospital. It was the only reason that his cuffs would have been removed before he woke. He couldn't sleep without them. He hadn't slept without cuffs on his wrists since Aaron had saved him. What had happened in the night? 

"Sir?" Spencer called out as he took in the faces around him. Sir was easy to say and choose. It would calm his lover if he was upset with him. Showing his submission. A touch on his arm had him settling down even more. He took in the face to his left and his whole body jerked. Aaron had shaved. He hadn't been clean shaven in the time that Spencer had known him. There were pictures in childhood and teen years where he was clean shaven but Spencer had only ever glimpsed them. It was when the shock wore off of seeing Aaron's cheeks that he realized that Aaron was standing beside the bed and not sitting on it. He looked at him questionly. He didn't remember doing anything wrong and that was the only thing that he could figure out for why Aaron wasn't touching him more. 

"Kid?" Rossi's voice drew his gaze over and Spencer's heart leaped to his throat. That wasn't his Rossi. His mind raced with anything and everything that he could figure out. Everyone except for Rossi was the same except for their eyes. Aaron's people cared for him. He was useful and he was an instrument of Aaron's. They would only all be in his room if something bad had happened and Aaron was afraid for him. He tried to remember the last thing he could remember. If there was something after falling asleep in their bed, in Aaron's arms but there was nothing. There was nothing at all. Wherever he was, he wasn't these people's Spencer. 

"What do you remember Spence?" JJ asked. 

Spencer looked at her in shock. He'd have to play dumb until he could figure all of this out. Morgan shifted closer to him and he saw a flash of a badge. He looked around the room more and all of them had on badges and guns. They were all FBI! 

"Agent Reid, you are awake. Good," a doctor said as he entered the room. 

The only thought that he could process was that he was an agent as well. Aaron stepped away from the bed and allowed the doctor in close. He submitted to the exam and was tightlipped with responses. He gave his name, his birth date, and what he hoped was the current year.

"What do you remember of last night?" The doctor asked. 

Spencer was a consummate liar. He had to be to be everything that his Aaron needed. Whatever happened to him hadn't happened to the others. He'd been alone. 

"I remember leaving the the office." Generalities were best until he knew more. He had to make it out of this. He had to get away from the hospital to figure out exactly what happened and how to get back to HIS Aaron. He'd never be forgiven if he died in this world. He could only assume that whatever Spencer lived in his world was in his own. Aaron would know instantly that it wasn't him. He doubted that the other Spencer wore Aaron's marks. Looking at Aaron, Spencer didn't see anything of his Aaron in his eyes. No, that Spencer wasn't going to be able to hide at all. "I don't...I don't remember anything after that."

Faking a panic attack was easy, even enough to fool the machines he was hooked up to. The heart rate monitor started to beep erratically. It only took seconds for Aaron to push past the doctor and touch his arm again. So there was something there. Even if it wasn't his Aaron, his body knew that touch and even though he was just faking it, his body started to calm down. He gulped in a mouthful of air and tried to act like he was scared. He couldn't fail Aaron. 

"Why don't I remember?"

"Doctor?" Aaron asked.

"Agent Reid, you were in an explosion at Georgetown last night. You were mostly protected but you were thrown into the wall. You have no breaks or fractures and the worst of your injuries are some scrapes. Now, some of your hair was burned so we had to cut it away but your scalp wasn't burned."

Spencer's hand flew to his hair. It was short. This time the panic attack wasn't faked. He tried to breathe but he couldn't. He couldn't get in enough air. Even the hand on his arm and the one that settled on his chest couldn't stop him. Aaron was going to be so pissed. His hair was so short. He was going to be in so much trouble. He'd never have been allowed to cut it so short. He wouldn't want it that short. Aaron couldn't get a good grip on it. It wouldn't feel as good. His lungs forced him to breath and he calmed down slightly. It wasn't something he could have controlled. Aaron wouldn't punish him for something that he had no way of stopping. Aaron wasn't unfair when it came to things like that. Even his genius mind couldn't predict everything. And being stolen from their bed in the middle of the night wasn't something that he could stop.

"Was anyone else hurt?" Spencer asked when he could fully breath again. Aaron's hands were still on him but he didn't look at the man. He had to figure out everything. He needed to get out of the hospital. He had to get to wherever this Spencer lived and then figure out how to get himself back to his world. To his Aaron. To Jack. He held back the sob at that. Jack was smart. Aaron was going to try and lie but Jack would know. It wouldn't take long. 

"No. Doctor Epps was behind the blast doors. He's outside waiting to talk to you but your team has kept him out."

Doctor Epps? Spencer sorted through his memories for an Epps. He had found a small article in the latest newsletter from CERN about joint research between a Charlie Epps and them. There had been no location given for it but it had to be that same person. What the hell happened in this world that a hole was ripped and he had switched places with what seemed like a good version of himself?

"Charlie is safe." Spencer sighed in relief. Hating already the game he was forced to play. "I want to see him."

"Agent Reid, I need to see you eat some food. The scans you had over the night show that we can't find anything wrong with you and the memory issues are not that big of a deal. An explosion is a traumatic event and memory loss for the hours preceding the event is not uncommon, even with a brain like yours." 

"Oatmeal?" Spencer asked. He had no clue exactly what the other Spencer ate but Aaron preferred oatmeal most work mornings and it was hard for a hospital to mess up oatmeal.

"I'll have the kitchen send up a tray as soon as they can." The doctor moved away from the edge of his bed and as he did, the others crowded in. He wasn't sure what he thought of that. Obviously they were all rather close. JJ went right to one side, dodging the machines and settled on the edge of the bed. Her arm went around him and he cuddled down into her side. It wasn't his JJ but this was a JJ. In his world, she was the mother that he'd never had as a child. She'd been there at Aaron's side for a long time. Penny moved up on that side of the bed as well. She was like his sister. He was happy that Rossi took up a spot at the end of his bed. Spencer respected his Rossi's mind but was always a little creeped out by him. He was too much of a womanizer and his skin crawled the few times the man touched him. Derek moved into the space between Rossi and Aaron. He counted his Derek as a friend but they weren't close. He was the consummate lothario when it came to women. There wasn't a one who had ever turned him down but when it came to his male dalliances, he liked them a little too young for Spencer's tastes. Derek was damaged and Spencer knew why. Aaron made sure that he knew everything about his inner group. Emily was at the back of the room. There was a distance to her that had Spencer trying to figure out why she was back there when the rest of them were closer. 

"I'm glad you are okay, Boy Wonder." Penny's hand touched at his blanket covered knee. 

"Epps called Hotch just after he called security on campus," Derek said. 

"By the time that we all made it there, you were already enroute to the hospital. They didn't let us in to see you until they had all the scans done."

"I didn't call your mother," Aaron said his hand finally dropping from his chest. Spencer whipped his head from looking at JJ and Penny to look at him. His mother? His mother was still alive? His body reacted. He needed to get away. He needed to get to safety. He had to get where she couldn't find him. His hand ripped the needle from his arm. The leads were next. He had them off of him at the same time that he pushed between JJ and Penny. The first door he found was the bathroom. He slipped inside and slammed the door shut, locking it. He turned to find that it had a stall shower. He slipped into it and closed the glass door. It wasn't much protection but he could defend himself if needed from there. He sat there shivering. 

The pounding on the door started and Spencer pulled more into a ball. He could hear his mother on the other side of the door. Screaming at him. Her screeches were making him feel like his ears were bleeding. He covered his ears and tried to block it all out. His breath was coming in short pants. He wanted Aaron. He wanted HIS Aaron. To feel safe in his arms. He wanted Aaron to kill her again. He wanted to see her blood spreading on the floor with Aaron standing above her. He pulled harder on the memory. 

His mother had been in the middle of one her her more violent episodes. She'd had a knife in her hand from where she'd attacked him. He'd been cooking dinner for her since he was home from college for the weekend when the power had gone out. The cut had run across his chest and he remembered that he had screamed. He'd tried to get to the closet that he'd reinforced so that she couldn't get in. He had almost made it when her hand had grabbed him and threw him to the floor. He'd rolled to his back to try and fend her off when the front door had shuddered and then ripped off the hinges. His mother had turned to face the new person. It was dark and Spencer had only seen the outline of him at first. The person rushed her and when it was all over, the lights flicked back on and Aaron had been standing above her with the knife in his hand and his mother's throat was slit.

Aaron. The terror was gripping him but he knew that she was dead. He pulled on memories of Aaron calming him down during his flashbacks when he was younger. The hand on his hair, petting him. Never causing pain. Pain would push him farther into the flashback. The hand would pet him over and over. He could feel the ghost of the hand. With every not there touch, he calmed down. 

" _That's it, Pet. Breathe for me._ " Aaron's voice was like it was right there. He could feel the ghosting of breath on his skin. The hand stayed petting his hair but the other moved to his waist, lifting him into his lap. Warmth pulled him in and he stopped shaking. The banging on the door faded away. He listened to the voices on the other side of the door. 

"...Do you think it was a flashback?" Garcia asked.

"To what?" Rossi asked.

"Hankel?" Derek's voice was clear and the name of Hankel got Spencer angry. It brought back thoughts of Jason Gideon, the man who had tried to take him away from Aaron. Who had lied to him. The man who had lied about Aaron. Who tried to convince him that his lover was cheating on him. The rest of the flashback fell off of him like water. Whoever Hankel was in this world, he'd got his hands on this Spencer as well. Obviously it had left a mark. He could play that. He needed to get to wherever Spencer lived and then wherever he worked. Both places would hold the most memory. 

"Maybe he moved and felt the needle in his arm," JJ said. Spencer looked down at his arm where the saline drip had been. The blood had stopped. Whatever Hankel had done to Spencer in this world involved needles. 

Spencer made himself move out of the shower. He stepped to the door and pressed his ear to it.

"Let's just give him some space. Morgan, Garcia, Dave, Prentiss, go back to the office. I had Anderson get his bag and car from Georgetown. I have your keys and the car is at your apartment."

"No one wants to talk to him?" Rossi sounded shocked. 

"Every single bit of it is on camera with full audio. Epps is handling it all. Epps is the scientist on record and it's his equations, his research, his everything. It was Epps' scale collider that caused the explosion. JJ and I will stay and when Reid is released, I'll drive him home." Aaron's voice was calm. At least he knew where Spencer lived. The shuffle of feet told him that the others were leaving. 

"Hotch, shouldn't we..."

"He'll come out when he's ready."

"Agent Hotchner," the doctor's voice barely carried through the door so Spencer breathed as shallow as he could. "Agent Reid's clothes were unsavable due to the smoke damage and slight singeing. His rings are here in the bag."

"Rings?" JJ's voice was confused. "Spence doesn't wear any rings."

"Um..." 

Spencer knew exactly what rings the doctor was talking about. He slid his hand under the gown and brushed at his navel and then up to his nipples. He was happy that something that Aaron had bought for him came with him. That he had something of him in this crazy world.

"Not rings for your fingers. ma'am." 

Spencer didn't like the thought of anyone touching what was his. He opened the bathroom door and stepped out. He held out his hand for the bag and the doctor gave it over. There was a tray of food sitting on the end of his bed. He sat down and started to eat, keeping the gown closed. Aaron and JJ were silent, staring at him. He could feel their eyes. He ate every single bit of food on the tray. 

"When can I go?"

"I want you to follow up with a neurologist in a few days to make sure that nothing else is going on in there and if you have any dizzy spells, nausea, or pain, please come back. I'll have a nurse bring by your discharge papers." The doctor smiled at him and left. Spencer sat back on the bed and looked at JJ and Aaron. 

"Epps had to leave, Reid but he'll visit you at your apartment tomorrow," Aaron said and it answered the question on exactly what that relationship was or in this case wasn't. Spencer nodded and looked down at his gown. 

"I stopped by your place and grabbed you a change of clothes," JJ said as she lifted up a bag. Spencer smiled and her. 

"Thank you."

Spencer debated going into the bathroom to change but when JJ stepped back and pulled the curtain closed around the bed to give him privacy, he just let go of the gown and shimmied until it dropped to the bed. Aaron turned around but before he did, Spencer caught a faint blush on his cheeks. There was more there than meets the eye and he was going to figure out exactly what. He changed quickly and was kind of upset that the clothes were ordinary. A button up with a pair of slacks. Next was a pair of underwear, thankfully boxers. At least there was something the same between them. What stopped him was the items sitting below the boxers. He laid them down on the bed and picked up the pair of socks. They were mismatched. His hands shook as he slipped each one on his feet. It had been so long since he'd worn mismatched socks. He hadn't cared about them in the grand scheme of getting away from his mother and not going into foster care. Aaron had protected him, allowed him to go to school. Aaron had given him everything that he needed and what he wanted. It felt weird to look at his feet with mismatching socks. If JJ knew enough to get him them, it would be noticeable if he changed that so he'd have to get used to it. The clothing though would have to go. He was sure he'd find something in Spencer's closet that he would be able to wear day in and day out. Spencer would thank him for it.

Dressing was quick but he stopped when he realized that he didn't see shoes. He looked around and spotted what looked like Converse shoes on one of the guest chairs. He tapped Aaron's shoulder as he passed to grab the shoes. Once in hand, he opened the curtain and JJ smiled at him. Taking the seat, he slipped the shoes on and tied them up. 

"Okay, Agent Reid, here are your papers." The nurse handed them over. Spencer scanned through them. The voice of Aaron in his head. He'd never signed anything without reading it. Ever. He knew everything to look for but given that he himself hadn't been in the explosion he knew he'd be fine. He had a brief second to worry for the other Spencer but Aaron would know he wasn't him and would get the truth out of him and make sure he had an eye kept on him. He signed in the places he needed and then initialed. It was quick and painless. He waited to see what Aaron was going to do. 

JJ stepped up to hug him and then she was gone with a promise to call him. Aaron motioned for him to go first out of the room. Spencer stuffed the bag with his rings in it, into his pocket before he took that first step. Just as he breached the door, Aaron's hand settled on the small of his back. A possesive claim. Spencer could work with that. 

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer slowly woke fully expecting to be in a hospital bed. What he didn’t expect were the cuffs around his wrists. That was the first thing that registered in his mind. His eyes flew open and he stayed perfectly still. It was the heavy arm around his waist and the very unmistakable hard erection moving against his ass that kept him from struggling. Inside, though, he was panicking and ready to jump out of his skin at any moment.

When the arm around his waist moved and the hand gripped his cock he whimpered and tried not to involuntarily thrust into the hand. He had an idea who it was behind him but he wasn’t sure what the hell was going on.

“Morning Pet.” The low rumble in his ear and the soft kisses along his neck were quickly short-circuiting his brain. A hand was in his hair, then stilled. Spencer didn’t dare breathe or move. He had no idea what was going on so he was trying not to panic. When the hand that was working his cock started to caress his upper body, touching him everywhere he shivered, partially in fear and partially because he recognized the hand as well as the voice in his ear.

“Morning Aaron.” Which must have been the wrong thing to say because he was violently shoved onto his back and pinned down on the bed.

“Who the fucking-hell are you?” Aaron glared, but it was different, darker and Spencer recognized that look. He’d seen it enough times from the unsubs he has interviewed over the years.

“I, I, I’m Doctor Spencer Reid.”

Aaron’s hand wrapped around his throat and lightly squeezed. Spencer closed his eyes and willed the tears that sprang-up not to fall.

“You are not Spencer. You know how I can tell?” Spencer tried to swallow around the hand at his throat but couldn’t.

“N-no,” he squeaked out.

“My Spencer, my beautiful Pet, his hair is longer. He never gets it cut without my permission.” Aaron moved his free hand down the smooth chest free of scars. “He has scars. Very beautiful scars that I gave him. He has no body hair, head, eyebrows, groin, that’s it. I know his body better than I know my own.” Aaron thrust against Spencer who closed his eyes tight and tried to keep the rising panic attack at bay.

“I swear; I swear to you I’m Doctor Spencer Reid. Please, please don’t hurt me Aaron.”

“Who sent you and how did you get in my house? Was it Foyet?” Aaron grabbed Spencer’s face and felt along trying to find possible reconstruction scars.

“Foyet? Aaron, Foyet is dead. You killed him.”

“Not yet, but I’m certainly going to try.”

Spencer was trying to figure out just what the hell was going on. He also noticed that this Aaron was different. He had a close shaved beard, the dark circles under his eyes were gone and his pallor was a little darker, like he got more sun than his Aaron usually got.

“Is that why you’re here? But then it wouldn’t explain how you got in our bed, cuffed. And somehow I think killing you would be a very bad idea.”

Spencer tried to remain calm, he thought back to Charlie and the experiment.

“Oh shit.”

“That is one thing we can agree on.”

“No, look let me explain, please, please give me a chance to explain.”

Aaron studied his face a moment then backed off. He stood and glared at the man on the bed as he crossed his arms.

“I’m going to go take a shower. You are staying right there, and before you try, they can’t be picked. Then and only then will you explain to me who you are and what the fuck is going on.” Aaron strode from the room and a moment later Spencer heard the water turning on. He didn’t waste a second. He pulled his hands down and looked around for something, anything to use to try to pick the locks on the cuffs.

Spencer stood and tested how far the chain went, which wasn’t far at all. But it gave him just enough length to look through the nightstand drawers. He was quickly rummaging through it and growled in frustration as not even a single paper clip existed in the drawers. He did, however, find a photo album. He made a mental note to look at it later. The pictures on the nightstand also caught his eye. There was Aaron, him and Jack. Jack was older and cuddled in Spencer’s lap. He swallowed hard as he stared at the picture. He didn’t know Jack that well, Aaron didn’t let him spend a lot of time with the boy alone. Well, not yet anyway. He knew Aaron’s trust issues and knew it would take time. He let thoughts of Jack go and refocused on trying to find something, anything he could use to pick the locks on the cuff.

“Shit.” He let out the curse when he didn’t find anything within arm’s length he could use. He heard the shower turn off which made him scramble back on the bed trying to calm his beating heart.

Aaron walked back out of the bathroom completely naked and Spencer had to swallow back the whine that wanted to escape. It didn’t help that the man smiled at him. He knew Aaron had heard him.

“I’m going to undo the cuffs, but you’d better talk and talk fast.”

Aaron took the key he kept in his nightstand drawer and unlocked the cuffs. He slowly backed away keeping an eye on Spencer. He moved the same vanity chair from the day before next to the bed and sat with his arms crossed, waiting.

“You’re just going to stay naked?” Spencer couldn’t help the sarcastic tone in his voice as he felt his ears getting warm.

“And you have quite the mouth on you, don’t you? Do I need to put it to better use?” Aaron glared as he leaned forward and filed away the look in Spencer’s eyes to use at another time. “Start talking. My generosity only goes so far.”

Spencer took a deep breath and told Aaron about the experiment, how everything was fine until they added the God Particle. He admitted he was a little fuzzy on the details after the explosion. He said he thought he was going to wake-up in a hospital, not cuffed to a bed. He was thrown into the panic attack that had been threatening all morning when he was all of a sudden pinned down with hands around his throat and a murderous look in the other man’s eye.

“You stupid fucking idiot. Do you know what you’ve done?” Aaron pressed down along Spencer’s body and lowered his face close to Spencer’s, “Tell me now why I shouldn’t kill you right here, right now.”

Spencer was trying to swallow but was having difficulty with the hands around his throat.

“If you kill me, you’ll never get him back.” Spencer was trying to claw at the hands around his throat seeing the the struggle in Aaron’s eyes as he shoved away and stood up. He was pacing angrily when he whirled back on Spencer.

“How could you be so goddamned stupid? No one has been able to build a stable scale model of the Hadron Collider. Anyone who’s tried has ended up dead. How the hell did your Aaron ever think to let you do something this dangerous and stupid?”

“Look,” Spencer stood and got in Aaron’s face, “I have a mind of my own. It took me a long time to know my worth and I do. No one, and I mean no one tells me what the fuck to do.”

“Yeah? Well maybe someone needs to. You are going to figure out how to get my Spencer back.” Aaron grabbed the back of Spencer’s neck with one hand and his cock with the other. “If you were my Spencer, my Pet, you’d be wearing a punishment collar and cock cage.” Aaron’s glare was hard and like nothing Spencer had ever seen. Even their run-in with Chester Hardwicke, when Aaron was practically snarling at the man, did Spencer see such a look.

“P-p-please, please don’t hurt me and I’ll do whatever you want.”

“That is a very bold statement and not one that I think you understand. But for now you are going to have to assume the role of my Spencer. If not, you could get us both killed, you understand?”

“What do I have to do?”

Aaron let Spencer’s cock go, which he was both relieved and a little sad about. He didn’t want to think what that meant about his current state of mind. The part of him that was half-in-love with Aaron Hotchner recognized this man, but his more rational mind knew this was nothing like the man in his own world.

“You will have to wear a collar, not negotiable. Your closet is over there and you will wear the clothes I pick for you on a daily basis. You are also my legal assistant so you will be going to work with me. You’ll sleep in my bed and to keep up appearances, that means cuffed. Jack likes to come snuggle with us on the weekends and we don’t want anything to look out of the ordinary. It’s Friday and we have a deposition in the James Heathridge case. I’m going for insanity and I’m going to get it. The kid should have been put in an asylum years ago.”

“And if I say no.”

Aaron turned that deadly stare on Spencer, “You have no choice Pet. You got him into this situation and you are going to get him out. And as your punishment, you will do what I say because you won’t like me at all if you don’t.”

Spencer swallowed hard and considered his options. He could run and try to figure out a way on his own on how to get back. The problem with that was he didn’t understand this world. He was stuck, at least until he learned all he could, then he would make his move, whatever that would be.

“Fine. You’re right. I did get your Spencer in this and I will try to get him out. But, I need Charlie Epps. He’s a math professor at Cal Sci, or at least in my world he is. Get him here and the two of us can figure out how to reverse what we did.”

“Fine.” Aaron went to the cabinet and opened it. Spencer couldn’t help his curiosity as he looked inside. His eyes widened as he tried to identify all of the obvious BDSM equipment in there. Aaron turned and before he could protest a collar was wrapped around his neck. “This is one of Spencer’s first ones. It has a tracking device. It’s also lock-pick proof, so don’t even try it. I’ll know where you are at all times. It’s waterproof so you won’t have to take it off. Now, go shower and make sure you shave, at least your face for now. We’ll work out what to do about your body hair later. Then, in your closet, there is a light gray suit. Wear it with the lilac button up and the lilac accessories. Choose whatever cufflinks you want.”

Spencer moved his neck around trying to get used to the feeling of the collar and found that he didn’t like it at all. He knew, though, that he had to go along, at least for now. He scuttled into the bathroom and turned the water on hot. He needed the warmth because he felt so cold inside. He knew he was still riding that edge of the panic attack and needed to calm down. Taking his time he did what Aaron asked and shaved, which was fine with him, he hated having facial hair anyway. As he was shaving he wondered at just what Aaron meant about his body hair, he shivered slightly trying not to think about that. He didn’t want to take too long so he quickly finished-up and stepped out of the shower. Looking in the fogged-up mirror he wiped a hand across so he could see better. 

“Well Spencer, when you fuck-up, you really fuck-up.” He hung his head a moment before taking a deep, steadying breath then dried off.

After getting out of the bathroom he strode across to the indicated closet and found the suit and other items Aaron told him to put on. He looked around for shoes and didn’t see any Converse or other casual shoes. He looked in each of the individual shoe drawers and found a pair of dark grey loafers. He put those on then walked back out to the bedroom. He stopped in his tracks and couldn’t help but admire Aaron in the obviously expensive suit that was cut just for him. His mouth went dry and he licked his lips trying not to lust after this man, but it was very difficult.

Spencer had been squinting, and though his eyesight wasn’t that bad, it was bad enough he was having trouble. He was startled when a pair of glasses were pressed into his hands. He put them on and though they weren’t his normal prescription he could see enough to get by, for now at least.

“Perfect.” Aaron curled his lip in a crooked smile. “Showtime Pet.” Aaron led Spencer out of the room and the younger man wondered just how long he was going to have to play along, And what he was going to have to do to survive.


	2. Chapter Two

#  _Mirror World_

Aaron and Spencer walked into the dining room and breakfast was already laid out for them. Warming trays of eggs, bacon, sausage and oatmeal were available, as were bowls of fruit and plates of toast and muffins. Orange juice and coffee were in carafes on the table. As soon as they entered, all activity stopped and everyone stared, some gaped, at Spencer.

“Papa, what happened to your hair?” Jack asked wide-eyed as he sat at the table with a spoon of oatmeal halfway to his mouth.

Aaron looked back and quirked up a brow, he smirked and it took Spencer a moment to realize that Aaron wanted him to come-up with an explanation.

“Oh ah y-your Dad let me try something new. What do you think?” He swallowed nervously trying to appear calm on the outside even though he was freaking out on the inside.

“When will it grow back?” Jack looked up at him with such concern in his eyes Spencer was left speechless. He hadn’t really spent much time around his Aaron’s son, in fact, now that he thought about it Aaron hadn’t let him spend much time alone with Jack. Sometimes it was only to go get food and back. He kept Spencer at an arm’s length from Jack. He started to wonder if Aaron didn’t trust him with his son. This Jack, this Jack seemed to think of him as another father figure. He felt Aaron watching him, watching the play of emotions on his face. He knew Aaron was going to ask him about this later, there was no way he was able to hide his being a little uncomfortable around the boy. And one a few years older than his Aaron’s Jack.

He remembered that Jack had asked him a question and he did the quick calculations in his head.

“Well Jack it’ll take about two months and twelve days.”

“That’s too long. I liked the long hair better. Don’t you Dad?”

Aaron turned on the full Hotchner smile and in that moment Spencer saw a glimpse of the man he knew, and had already been falling-in-love with. Then the coldness of his eyes took over and the reminder that this wasn’t his Aaron was like a stab in the heart.

“Yes buddy, I very much liked it longer. But, sometimes rewards for doing something good are more about the other person and not yourself. Now, have you finished your breakfast?”

“Yes Dad.” Jack stood and took his breakfast dishes to the tray cart that the dirty dishes went into.

“And do you have all of your stuff for school?”

“Right here Dad.”

“Okay, Grant will take you to school, now be good and I want to hear how your History and English tests went when I get home, okay?”

“Okay Daddy.” Jack got up from the table and ran to Aaron who caught him up in a hug. He then moved to Spencer and went to hug him as well. Spencer tried to act like he was expected to as he wrapped his arms around Jack in a slightly uncomfortable hug. Aaron’s gaze bore into him and Spencer saw the calculation and the cruel smile on his lips.

“Papa, are we still going to the DC Science fair tomorrow?” Jack looked-up with such hope in his eyes Spencer knew he couldn’t say no.

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world Jack.” He hesitated slightly on the name, not really knowing what the other Spencer called him.

“Alright.” Jack smiled wide as he grabbed his book bag and his school uniform jacket and ran out the door.

Aaron gestured for Spencer to sit while he went and plated their food. He was quiet through breakfast, not really knowing how to act. He reached for his coffee cup and took a sip. It was perfect, exactly like he would make it. That was something, at least, that they had in common. The food though, that was a different matter. Aaron had served him a plate of toast, sausage and a small amount of scrambled eggs with a small bowl of oatmeal with blueberries. This was more food than he normally ate in the mornings, which usually consisted of a hastily bought pastry or toast and some mornings it was just coffee. He was halfway through his food when JJ walked-in.

“Spence, your hair.” She exclaimed as her fingers threaded through the top of his head.

“Sir let me try it short. As a reward.” He looked to Aaron to see if he got at least something right. He let out the breath he was holding when Aaron nodded his approval.

“That’s right Pet.” Aaron then turned to the woman, “How was your evening JJ?”

“It was good Aaron. Thank you for the night off. Here’s your schedule for the week. I forwarded a copy to Maisie. You have that press conference at 6 on the courthouse steps. These are the current invitations that I believe you should look through to make decisions on. I, of course, discarded the ones asking you out for dates. Also you have the benefit dinner tomorrow night at The Bergamont. White tie, of course.” JJ then turned to Spencer and handed him a packet of papers as well.

“Spencer, here is your speaking schedule for the International Conference on Cognitive Behavioral Studies for next week…” Aaron stayed her hand a moment and looked Spencer in the eye.

“There may be a conflict with that JJ. Something important has come-up and I don’t know if Spencer will be able to attend.”

“Oh, do you need me to call the organizers? They’ve been looking forward to his being there as a speaker.” JJ handed him Spencer’s itinerary as well.

“I’ll know better by the end of the day. I’ll call Matteo myself and let him know what’s going on.”

“Okay. Just let me know what changes you want made. Now, are you still attending the benefit tomorrow?”

“Yes, and I have a luncheon at the club. I’d like you and David to accompany me as well as Spencer.”

“Of course. Just let me know the time and I can meet you there.”

Aaron dismissed her with a nod of his head then went back to eating. There was a ring at the front door and Aaron just looked at his watch and smiled softly to himself. A man walked in and Aaron stood to give him a quick hug.

“Dave, good morning. Glad you could come by for breakfast.”

“I almost didn’t. It’s hard to leave your bed when two beautiful woman don’t want to let you go.” He smirked as he sauntered over to the food trays and served himself a plate. When he sat down it was the chair one over from Spencer’s.

“When did you get your haircut kid?” Dave frowned as he looked at Spencer. “Never thought he’d let you do something like that. Likes the long hair too much.” He stared right a Spencer as if he was an Unsub or something.

“Last night. I wanted to try it and Sir said I could. This one time only, that is.” Dave gave Spencer a look that frankly gave him the shivers.

“Well, he does love to indulge you.” Dave smiled a crooked smile as he bit into some toast. The conversation around the table was stilted, Spencer didn’t really know what to say, so he bowed his head and just continued eating, hoping that it was something that this Spencer did. He only looked up when he heard someone else coming into the dining room. He was surprised to see Derek, wrapped around a teenaged boy. Spencer looked at them wide-eyed, not even trying to hide his expression.

“Hey pretty boy, nice haircut. What did you do that bossman let you cut it?” Derek smiled as he kissed the cheek of the boy before settling him in a chair. What Spencer hadn’t noticed was how fast Aaron had moved and had Derek pinned to a wall, his expression practically murderous.

“What the fuck have I told you about bringing your...boys into my home?” Aaron’s tone had Spencer swallowing and his heart pounding hard in his chest in fear. Outwardly he tried to keep his calm because he figured that was what this world’s Spencer would do.

“Hey man I just needed a place for a few hours. I thought you’d be out of here by now.” Morgan held up his hands in a show of deference to Aaron.

“And what is wrong with your own apartment?”

“My Mom and sisters are there. I needed away from them for a while, they were getting on my nerves, prying into my life. Just needed a little release, ya know?”

“So you take your _boy_ to a hotel, not here.” Aaron shoved off and visibly worked at tamping down on his anger. “Next time remember my rules Derek.”

“Yeah, yeah I will.” Morgan glared at Aaron and Spencer was taking mental notes. His Aaron and Derek were often confrontational but there was never lasting anger behind it. Derek’s questioning was always case related and at times he was right. They’d disagree but it was quickly resolved. Especially after the New York incident when Derek drove Aaron home. Spencer never asked what happened on that drive but it seemed to have evened the two out. Now it often was more debating and Derek’s questions were more pointed. This, though, he could work with. Hiding a smile behind eating he definitely made plans.

After the tense breakfast Spencer was finally alone again with Aaron in the car.

“Why the hell do you always call him Pet? And do you really expect me to answer to that for however long I’m stuck here?”

“I call him Pet because it’s an endearment. He is everything to me and I, proudly, made him what he is. At the office and in public he is Spencer, as you will be. At home and around friends you will answer to Pet because it’s what I call him. If anyone, and I mean anyone suspects you aren’t _my_ Spencer my enemies will see it as a weakness and I wasn’t kidding that it could get both of us killed.”

Spencer gripped the door handle hard as he closed his eyes trying to calm his fear. He wasn’t sure what this all meant and what he was going to have to do in assuming this Spencer’s identity.

“Fine. Just don’t treat me like an idiot.” Spencer turned and glared hard at Aaron.

“That’s what you think I do? By calling my beloved, Pet? Oh no Spencer, it's a term to let him know he belongs to me. He picked it out himself.” Aaron wanted to laugh at the shocked look on Spencer’s face but he kept his eyes on the road. He waited for a minute as Spencer tried to comprehend that bit of information but he needed information from the man as well.

“I’m going to assume that you are well versed in many forms of law.”

“Yes. I was looking into a program for law enforcement officials that would let them obtain a law degree while keeping their working schedule. It was next on my list.”

“List?” Spencer saw that Aaron was actually amused, which put his back up as he pressed his lips together.

“Yes. I have a list of subjects I eventually want to study. Why? Does that amuse you?”

“Not amuse. It’s something that you have in common with my Spencer. He also has a list of subjects he eventually wants to get some kind of degree in. Though I don’t know how many more he can actually hold.”

“What do you mean?” Spencer frowned as he looked over at Aaron wondering at the tone of voice. Was Aaron taunting him somehow?

“I just mean that Spencer has time to study whatever he wants whenever he wants. I deny him nothing when it comes to education. He loves to learn and that is one area that I am more than happy to indulge him in.”

Spencer tried not to be jealous but a small part of him was. He loved his job but sometimes it did interfere with his love of learning. He had finished getting his Psychology Ph.D. and he had wanted to look into the law program but they had just too many cases in the past couple of months that he had put it off. Now, he put it as a priority for when, or if he was ever getting back.

“I’m sure that being an FBI agent must have some kind of reward for you but I can’t imagine that you have a lot of time for yourself.”

“Yes, saving someone’s life and putting psychopath’s like you away is it’s own reward.” Spencer was angry at the taunting and he let it show. He no longer let his Aaron bully him, they’d had that fight and came to an understanding with each other after the Owen Savage case. He was not going to let this Aaron intimidate him, though he could admit he had a healthy dose of fear. He just wasn’t going to let it show.

Aaron seemed to have let this part of their conversation go but the slow smile on his face had Spencer nervous.

“Tell me about your relationship with Jack.”

Spencer did not expect that question. He knew it was going to be brought up at some point, the look he had seen on Aaron’s face when he interacted with the boy told him he should have been prepared. He just didn’t expect it this soon. He thought about lying but this Aaron would see through it right away.

“I’m just getting to know him more.”

“But you never spend time alone with him do you?”

“Aaron’s just protective of Jack. I certainly can’t blame him there. Everything they went through I can understand Aaron’s wariness.” The words sounded false even to his own ears. It was an issue that had started to bother him but he hadn’t brought it up to Aaron yet.

“But, if he trusts you as much as you claim he does, he’d trust you around his son. There would be no question, no hesitation on his part. So, maybe he secretly doesn’t trust you.” Spencer knew that wasn’t true, was it?

“You must have proven yourself trustworthy over the time you’ve known your Aaron. Why doesn’t he want you to spend alone time with his son?”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re insinuating, but it won’t work. Aaron does trust me, and I know trust will grow with Jack. I can’t begrudge Aaron his being protective.” But, in truth, could he? He thought back to the pictures on the nightstand and the look of love on Spencer’s face as he held Jack on his lap, his arms wrapped around the boy in happiness. He rubbed at his heart as he second guessed Aaron. They had been spending a lot of time together outside of work and looking back on all those times Aaron only left Jack with him for no longer than a half hour. Did he really not trust him with Jack?

“Seems you’ve come to realize something isn’t quite as rosy with your Aaron as you thought.” Spencer didn’t say anything, he didn’t rise to the bait. He just kept quiet the rest of the way into the office convincing himself that everything was okay and it really was just Aaron protecting Jack, but from what?

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer slipped into the front seat of Aaron's car. The walk from the front door of the hospital to the car had been silent. Spencer wasn't sure exactly what had Aaron silent and if it had been his Aaron, he would. This Aaron was different. He was glad that he was good at thinking on his feet. He'd need it to not slip up.

"You remember leaving work. Do you remember the conversation before that?" Aaron asked as he put the car in reverse to back out of the spot he was parked in. Spencer watched his hands. What he did with his hands would tell Spencer a lot about him. Aaron's hands hesitated across the distance between them. Like he wanted to reach out and touch but he was stopping himself. Finally, he settled both of his hands on the steering wheel.

"I don't remember being at work." Spencer shrugged as he looked out the car window. He could just see enough of the man to know that something was up. The man was also getting a little upset at Spencer staring right at him so watching in the reflection on the glass was going to be his only help.

"Jessica has Jack tonight and he's taking her out on a date. We were supposed to go on a date as well."

So there was more there than he thought between this Aaron and his Spencer. He had brief thought of pity for the Spencer that was in his place because there was no way that he was equipped to deal with his Aaron. He felt a stab of jealousy that another was going to be in Aaron's bed, feel his hands on him but he knew that it was irrational. Jealousy was irrational. Aaron would need to do whatever he needed to make sure that no one thought that the other Spencer wasn't him because it could get them killed. They were a united front against all those who sought to take them down. Together they were unstoppable. He pushed those thoughts from his mind because they were not helping him.

Spencer could read people. He could read Aaron better than most people in the world and this Aaron was much simpler than his Aaron. The clenching of the steering wheel, his white knuckles, and the way that he kept looking at Spencer told him that it was a first date. Even factoring a very different first meeting, the Spencer of this world would have been able to join the FBI at twenty three, it had taken this Aaron a very long time to make the move on his Spencer.

"I don't think that I am up to that. I don't think that I want to go out for a meal." Spencer looked at Aaron briefly, a hopeful smile on his face. He hoped that he was at least close to how this Spencer should be acting. "But we can do burgers or something at my apartment, if you want. I know that it's not a big, grand restaurant but I don't think that..."

"Spencer, it's fine. Dinner would be wonderful at your place. You've talked about that diner right around the corner enough that I know their burgers will be fine." Aaron looked hopeful.

"Seven?" Spencer asked. It would be long enough for him to get settled enough in the world. To get a good enough read on the other Spencer to be able to play act him well enough.

"Sounds good to me." Spencer smiled at him and looked back out the car window. He was silent for the rest of the ride. Aaron parked in front of a building and handed over the keys. Spencer wasn't sure what to do. Did he just get out? Did he need to lean over and give Aaron a kiss? Thankfully, the older man took the decision out of his hands as he laid his hand on the handle of the car. Fingers on his cheek had him turning and leaning over at the tug. Their lips met in a frankly disappointing kiss. Before he could even try and turn it around, Aaron was pulling away. "I'll see you at seven."

Spencer nodded and opened the door. He looked at the building in front of him. It was at least something that looked like something he'd live in, before Aaron. Before leaving Vegas, when he'd dreamed of getting away from his mother. He stepped inside the building, looking at the mailboxes. It wasn't his world but he was fairly certain that one of those boxes said Reid and he was correct. He found it, used the key on his ring and opened it. There were a few pieces of mail inside but more important he now knew what floor he lived on as well as his apartment number. As he moved towards the stairs, he turned back and waved at Aaron. The man only drove off then.

Swallowing, Spencer started up the stairs. He found the door and let himself in before someone could see him hesitate. Weakness was for behind closed doors. He shut the door and locked it. He frowned at the lack of an alarm system. He added that to a mental list of things he needed to do but was extremely happy that he didn't have one at the moment. He looked around the apartment. It wasn't exactly spartan but there wasn't a lot that screamed happiness there. He could already tell that this Spencer lived for working. There was no computer in the living room so he moved towards the hallway. There were four doors off of it. He opened the first and found it was a storage/laundry room. The second door was a closet. The third was a small office. It looked a lot like his own getaway room. He stepped in and closed the door behind him and  looked through the casefiles that were scattered on the desk.

The utter silence of the apartment filled his entire body. Aaron's mansion was never quiet. With sixteen house staff within the walls at nearly all times, the only place that he got solitude was inside his getaway room or his hidden room. He quickly hit the power button on the computer at least the hum of it would help to settle him. The only room that was silent was the play room and there was never enough time to register that before Aaron's breathing settled him. After that came screams, begs, pleads, the sounds of whips and floggers through the air, chains rattling. Just the thought of it helped to settle him. He was almost relaxed down into it when he remembered that the information from the woman was gone. She had given it to him and he'd meant to write it down after Aaron got home but his reward had pushed it from his mind. He had changed to writing it down when he woke up and now he was here and Aaron was there. Foyet had attacks planned soon and he needed to get back before then.

Spencer dropped into the chair and only barely held it together while he tried to calm himself. He hadn't planned on this. He hadn't known that he was going to get thrown into an alternate reality with no knowledge of how exactly to get back. That he'd not be there by Aaron's side. The blinking cursor on the computer, asking for a password pulled Spencer from his thoughts. All he could do was keep himself safe and work on getting back. He was part of the way through typing Jack's birthdate in binary when he stopped. That wasn't going to be anywhere near this Spencer's password. He thought about what he knew about this Spencer. There was just a single picture on the desk and it was himself holding a newborn. So he popped the picture out and there in his writing was a date as well as the name Henry Etienne LaMontagne.

The birthday of the boy got him into the computer. LaMontagne. Obviously the boy's father was the cop from New Orleans and that meant the mother was JJ. That was interesting. So he was connected with the boy. Given the father's heritage, Spencer would assume his other self was the boy's godfather. A look into the wallet and he knew the name of the bank facility that the other Spencer used. The username easily filled the blank space. The password place was empty. He tried his own banking password of the first ten digits of pi backwards and it loaded up his financials. At least this Spencer was well off and he was rather thankful he hadn't been shifted into a universe where Spencer Reid was an idiot. He was nowhere near as well off as he was even without Aaron's own money. Then again all money that Spencer earned, Aaron let him keep while providing him with everything that he needed. Spencer only spent it on gifts for Aaron and Jack. Special things that Aaron wouldn't buy for himself and Spencer wanted him to have.

Given what he knew of the BAU from his own world, Spencer figured that all the bills were set up for auto withdrawal and he was glad when he was correct. He looked over the credits and debits on the transaction list and was shocked when he saw that every month a fee was withdrawn for Bennington Sanitarium. His hand started to shake as he opened another tab on the Internet browser. He clicked the icon for the bookmarked email account and found that it was just a generic one that was used for subscriptions to online science blogs and news outlets. He looked around the office to try and find what he was looking for.

Since Aaron had saved him, Spencer had never felt true fear like he had the night that his mother died. The office held nothing of what he was looking for so he moved to the bedroom. Inside the closet, he found what he was looking for. A set of boxes with year labels on them. He opened the lid and there he found what he feared most. He shut the lid and shoved it back. He grabbed a sheet and covered the boxes up so that he wouldn't have to look at them. The squeal of tires outside the bedroom had Spencer jumping, spinning around and moving until he found wall. As soon as his back touched it, he fell to the floor. He knew that she had to have been alive but he hadn't realized that this Spencer kept in contact with her. That he wrote her letters and she wrote back. There was no way that he was going to ask about it so he purposely pushed the thoughts of her from his mind. For the time that he was there, she would live without letters from him because there was no way that he'd be able to mimic Spencer's writing style to her nor did he think he could actually make himself write to her. He waited until his hands stopped shaking before he stood up.

Spencer's eyes moved back to the closet and he eyed the clothes with disdain. He liked looking nice. He'd always worn what Aaron told him to but he liked looking nice for him. He'd never dress in anyway that would make someone think less of Aaron. He'd come to enjoy wearing the suits that Aaron bought him. Another subtle claim of the man on him. He looked good and he knew that people looked at him but he also knew that people knew that he wasn't theirs. He fingered his neck where he missed his collar. It was his first shopping bit that he needed to get. Touching his wrists next he vowed that a leather shop was the first stop he was going to make. He needed to figure out a lot of things before the date that night with Aaron.

It didn't take Spencer long to actually find clothes that he wouldn't mind wearing. Vested suits that were nice and obviously something that was newer. He carefully picked his way through the clothes and it was as bright as day. The older clothes were very much college student days and when he started at the job. Just what little he'd gleaned about this Spencer told him that he'd probably not had a good role model growing up. Diana had been mentioned but not William so it would see that William left in this universe as well. Academic wise, Spencer had never had an issue with confidence. In personal life though, it had only been with Aaron at his back that he'd learned it. This Spencer hadn't learned that confidence until it seemed several years into working with the BAU. The progression of clothes told him that.

Not caring about anything except his own mental issues, Spencer bagged up all of the other Spencer's clothes that he wouldn't be caught dead in before he changed into a suit. He looked and found leather loafers but his eyes went to the Converse. He tried to look away but he couldn't. He found a pale green pair that matched his shirt. Just after he stripped naked, Spencer remembered the bag of his rings. He pulled it out of his pocket and worked the jewelry back into it's rightful place.

Spencer changed into the suit and slipped on the shoes. He pulled up his pant legs and stared at the socks. He hadn't liked the idea of them before but they were growing on him. It was kind of nice because for the most part no one would see them but he'd know that it was odd and it along with the shoes kind of gave himself a thrill. He hadn't found cufflinks but he was sure that somewhere in the apartment was a pair. He stepped out of the closet and looked around. There are on the dresser was a leather jewelry case that looked like it was for a necklace. Upon opening it he found two pair of very plain but nice cufflinks. Working one set on, Spencer tried to calculate how much damage he could do to the other Spencer's bank account and make sure that he didn't hurt him.

The Internet was the best place to go for information. Moving back to the office, Spencer sat down in the chair and woke the computer from sleep mode. He closed out of the banking page after logging off and then the email as well. A new tab was clicked and he typed in his father's name along with Las Vegas. Several hits came up and all in connection with his work. He found the website for the law firm in Summerlin that he worked at. There was a page that listed all lawyers that worked there and nowhere in the short biography that listed that he had a wife or a kid. There was mention of a cat though.

Opening a blank tab, Spencer typed in a string of code and hit enter. A black screen greeted him. He smiled. Typing without a cursor, Spencer laughed as he created an account without no one ever being able to find out who he was or where he was accessing it from. It wasn't long until he found the name he was looking for in the system. It seemed that the case had been close by the BAU just a few years before. He looked at the team and found that it was Spencer's own team that had found the link between the dead body in a desert and a man who had gone missing. He found access to a lot of files of the flagship team of the BAU. It wasn't hard to find information floating around the Internet on this version of the Black Queen. He found that compared to Penny's life, Penelope Garcia of this world had a good life. It wasn't hard to see where her life split to lead to the woman he knew and the woman that the other Spencer knew. He wondered then if Garcia had any idea of this section of the dark net.

Reading on the computer slowed him down but Spencer was able to get caught up on the big happenings to the BAU. He delved into the life of George Foyet probably more than was strictly normal but anything that would help him with the man when he got back home was good. He was frankly shocked to find out that he was dead at the hands of Aaron Hotchner. His Aaron was capable of murder and had done it quite a lot but it was the manner. This Aaron beat him to death. After the death of one Haley Hotchner. Spencer looked at the article that was attached and found out that Jack was about half the age of his own Jack. He was shocked at that. Haley was his next search. There was little about her. The majority of it that he was finding was her attachment to Aaron. High school sweethearts. Married. No children until the age where Haley was almost too old to bear a child with little risks. Divorce not long after. Then her death at the hands of Foyet. He wasn't sure which Haley got the worse deal in death.

Closing out of the dark net section he accessed, Spencer started to search for suit shops that fit close to what this Spencer wore as well as a few leather shops. He was disappointed that the shop that he and his Aaron preferred wasn't around. He marked their addresses in his mind and then gave in and looked up the location of shoe stores that sold Converse. He was happy to find that the store that Aaron shopped at near exclusively for their cufflinks was in business. He hadn't found evidence of tie pins so he decided that he could forgo those. He had to try and blend in as much as possible.

When he looked at the clock, he saw that by the time he got a cab to the first shop, it would be open. He grabbed a few granola bars from a kitchen cabinet as he left. He'd eaten breakfast already but he wasn't going to be near a place he would want to eat lunch at for three stops so he needed something. He was happy to find the granola bars weren't the cheap kind and were his favorite flavor of strawberry.

Grabbing the messenger bag, Spencer locked the door behind himself as he left. As soon as he could get someone in to install a system he was going to. After reading what happened with Foyet, he was shocked that this Spencer didn't have one.

* * *

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer and Aaron arrived at the office and Aaron was leading him to their floor. As soon as they step out of the elevator all eyes were on him and many were openly gaping at him.

“Close you mouth Peterson. It’s not that drastic. Don’t you have a corporation you are suing?” Aaron said as he passed a handsome well dressed gentlemen. Spencer assumed it was a lawyer in Aaron’s employ. He wasn’t sure if this was a partnership or if Aaron was sole proprietor. He was led to a large office down a long corridor that had smaller offices on one side and cubicles directly opposite. In the cubicles, were men and women working at their desks with piles of files and papers all around.

They stepped into Aaron’s office and Spencer couldn’t help gaping. It was huge. A large black walnut desk sat facing the door. Behind and on both sides were large bookcases with what Spencer assumed were law books. In one bookcase, there was a long space devoid of books but held a coffee pot, a water pitcher, and several cups and glasses. On one wall, there was a display shelf with diplomas and trophies. Some were Aaron’s and some were Jack's. There were diplomas of Spencer’s as well.

“There is your work area. I tried to give Spencer the office just through there but,” Aaron smiled fondly as his hand gripped the briefcase he held in his hand. “He didn’t like it. Wanted to be nearer. There is a pull out screen if you want or need privacy.”

Spencer went to the desk, this one was polished blackwood. The chair was extremely comfortable and Spencer quickly settled in. He picked-up several files and read through them quickly. Luckily he’d been in law enforcement and had read enough of Aaron’s law books over the years that he understood what was going on in the cases.

“I need you to go over the file on James Heathridge, Nola Jamisen, Marcy Jones and Cid Markham. Those are who we will be dealing with today.”

Spencer didn’t say a word as he searched the pile for the files Aaron told him to read over.

“I don’t really need to familiarize myself with Heathridge. My unit was the one that took him into custody. In fact, Aaron fought the man. Shot him, but thankfully it was just to wound him. He was placed in Central State Hospital in their lockdown section for the criminally insane. Is there anyone to check on the sister? I talked to her myself. I believe she was showing signs of schizophrenia.”

Aaron sat back in his chair and studied Spencer a moment.

“You believe Heathridge to be Criminally Insane?”

“I do. His delusions are due to the continued hold his mother has on him Though she died in the state mental hospital, I fully believe that if James hadn’t stayed in that environment he might have been very different. Lara, on the other hand, was showing symptoms of early schizophrenia. I haven’t had time to check on her. A family lawyer is supposed to be looking in on her.”

“Write up a list of questions that, if you were to do an interview with James, what they would be. I want your full take on the case from your point of view. First go over the case details and find any anomalies that might exist between your case and mine. Minus who it was that captured him, of course.”

Spencer turned around and booted up the computer. When the main screen came up and it asked for the username and password, Spencer sat back and thought about it for a few minutes. When the first two didn’t work he sat back again and let his mind wander. He smiled to himself and tried once more using the square root of Pi backwards and was rewarded with the home screen. He looked through some of the documents already there, taking his time to familiarize himself with the computer and the file system. It wasn’t too far off from how he organizes his own computer so it didn’t take long. He grabbed the file for James Heathridge and started to go over the reports. The only thing that was different was the BAU team that brought Heathridge in and that Aaron hadn’t gotten hurt in the process. He set that aside and turned to the computer, he brought up the word processing program and proceeded to type out a list of questions that he’s always wanted to ask Heathridge himself.

After he was done, he gave Aaron the list and asked what was first on the agenda. Aaron told him that Nola Jamisen had an appointment at 9:00 and that was priority. Spencer looked for the file in his stack and read through it. He read through it several times in fact. Confusion had settled over him and he tentatively stood and made his way over to Aaron’s desk.

“I ah, I’m a little confused on the Nola Jamisen case. I assumed you were a defense attorney. What does a child custody case have to do with your office?” Spencer slowly sat in one of the chairs across from Aaron.

“I have specialties in Criminal Defense as well as Family Law. The Family Law is where I do a lot of pro bono work. Too many women and some men get screwed in the courts. I make sure that the children come first and they go to the best parent for them. And, I get that parent the best benefits allowed by law.”

Spencer frowned deeply. This was not what he expected in any way.

“You didn’t expect that did you?” Aaron sat back in his chair and smirked at Spencer.

“I’m trying to decide if it’s genuine concern and a want of helping, or if it’s to keep your reputation squeaky clean.”

Aaron chuckled but the amusement didn’t reach his eyes. The intensity of the stare had Spencer squirming in his chair.

“Maybe it’s both.” Spencer let it go for now because he wasn’t sure what to think. His confusion deepened when the woman in question came in. She wasn’t what he would have expected of a client of Aaron Hotchner’s. Her department store clothing and cheap bag had Spencer raising his eyebrows but he just sat back, watched and listened.

By the time Ms. Jamisen left Spencer knew just what kind of actor Aaron was. The show of deep concern and sympathy didn’t fool him for one minute. Though the man turned on enough charm that he had the woman practically eating out of his hand. Moving back to his desk Spencer typed up the notes like Aaron had asked him to and saved them to the file.

Spencer had a few minutes before the next client and he decided this was the perfect time to take advantage and look into his parents. What he found horrified him. He easily found the police reports on both of their deaths. Murdered, both of them but years apart. He closed his eyes and tried to remember that this was not his world. This Aaron had gotten angry at the mention of his mother. He would reserve his questions for later. The articles he found didn’t give much information other than his mother was killed when she had gone after her young son with a knife. Aaron’s name was mentioned, but his own name wasn’t, he had been a minor at the time. This just caused more questions than answers.

He was deep in his head when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He flinched back and Aaron narrowed his eyes at him.

“Lunch Spencer, come on.” Aaron started to walk towards the door and didn’t look back to see if he was following. Spencer stood and started to follow Aaron out of the office. They ended up at a much nicer restaurant than Spencer was used to for a lunch break.

“We have two hours, then back to work and I want to go over what’s going to happen with the press conference later today.” Aaron was watching Spencer looking around the restaurant, obviously uncomfortable. “You aren’t used to this are you?”

Spencer snapped his head back to Aaron, “No, I’m not. Usually on cases it’s whatever we can grab.”

“That is practically a sin. You should always take time to rest your mind and have a good meal.” Aaron twisted up the corner of his mouth and watched the hard expression come over Spencer’s face.

“Right, and tell that to the families of the victims. That the BAU was too busy relaxing and having a fancy meal to actually work the case and stop the killer, that will go over really fucking well.”

“I would think your team would work better having a break from whatever case you’re working on. Doesn’t the constant stimulation ever make you stumble or look in the wrong direction?”

“ _My_ Aaron is almost perfectly in tune with us. He can be a hardass when he wants and needs to be. He often makes us stop and why am I even trying to defend him or myself to you? Your goal is to go after those in the BAU, isn’t it?” Spencer glared hard, having perfected the look after years of working with his Aaron.

“Just one man’s team. And will it be your goal to try and stop me? Hmm Spencer?” Aaron’s eyes turned cold and flat and it sent a not so pleasant shiver down his spine.

“I don’t have enough information on you and your operations to do anything and right now I need you, your money, and connections. Without it, I can’t get to Charlie and if I can’t get to Charlie neither of us gets what we ultimately want.”

Aaron raised a brow and a predatory smile formed across his lips as he continued to watch Spencer.

“God, if you were my Spencer I’d haul your ass out to the car and fuck you senseless. You have no idea what that spine of steel does to me. Maybe I should do it anyway.”

Spencer had his water glass halfway to his lips when he just gaped at the man across from him. This was one of those times when he truly had absolutely no come back. His face reddened and he wasn’t sure if it was from anger or arousal, which was happening way too much around this Aaron. He had only been around the man for half-a-day and his emotions were already twisted around. He knew he needed to get himself together or he could find himself doing something completely stupid. He finished taking his drink of water while he got his thoughts under control. Deciding they needed a change of subject Spencer wanted to know about his parents and Aaron’s role in their deaths.

“I read about my mother’s, well your Spencer’s mother’s death. The articles I found all mentioned you and that you were acquitted of murder.”

Aaron sat back and carefully placed the knife and fork he had been using back down on his plate. He picked-up the napkin and dabbed at his mouth, giving him time before he started to speak.

“I was in Las Vegas for a client. He had gotten into some trouble and instead of letting a local affiliate office help him, he asked for me personally. Your father’s law firm was the affiliate. I was working on getting my client released with one of the partners when your mother came in, practically dragging you along. You looked up at me as I came out of the conference room we were using. The commotion Diana made could be heard throughout the whole office. Your eyes, it was your eyes, fourteen and already you had these terribly sad, hopeless eyes. In that moment, I wanted to save you, no, I _needed_ to save you.” Aaron took a drink of wine to settle the memories that came full force to his mind.

“Your father, he was a coward, he left you with a violent schizophrenic who abused you. It was profound abuse Spencer. You're a profiler, I’m pretty certain you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m also certain that if I hadn’t gotten to you that night you would have disassociated.” Aaron took a deep breath as he watched the younger man go pale over the story he was telling.

“I got the address of your apartment from your spineless bastard of a father and that night went there. I had to kick in the door and I’m glad I did. It startled your mother just enough that she stopped her attack on you. She had a kitchen knife in her hand and was ready to hurt you. Instead, I slit her throat. And, I’d do it again if it were to save you. When I got down on the floor to check on you, you crawled into my lap and clung to me. I took you with me and never looked back.”

Spencer’s hands were shaking as he set the water glass down.

“I can’t imagine my mother hurting me. That was her biggest fear was hurting me. I was afraid they would take her away.” Spencer frowned down at the fish on his plate and poked at it. He didn’t have his mother here and it hit him harder than he expected. He couldn’t write her letters, and if he was here more than a week she would begin to worry that something happened. He was fairly positive that this world’s Spencer would have figured out about the letters and he was also positive that he would not write his mother. He was silently grateful because he could only imagine what he would say to her. He must have zoned out with his thoughts because he felt a tap on his hand.

“Spencer, I need you focused.” Spencer actually almost laughed. The look, the words and the tone were so Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner that it made him ache. It made him ache in a way he never thought was possible. They were barely beginning yet he knew in this moment that he loved Aaron more than he ever realized.

“Something amusing?”

Spencer shook his head, “A little. What you just said and the look on your face was so much like my Aaron. Well actually more like Unit Chief Hotchner, but it was like you were him for just that moment.”

Aaron raised a brow and chuckled in amusement. He took a moment and studied the man in front of him. He knew what Spencer meant. There were times when this man was so much like his love that his heart ached. He didn’t know how he was going to get through this but for Spencer, he would hold on as long as it took.

“You haven’t asked about your father.” Aaron watched for the reaction.

“My father. Hm, you weren’t too wrong when you said he was a coward. I’m not going to lie and say that living with my mother was easy, it wasn’t. Trying to keep her taking her meds and keep her stable was often a full time job. Lucky for me, she had a pension and disability coming in. Though, there were things I did to keep us afloat that I’m not proud of. But I love my mother so anything for her.” Spencer took a moment to let his thoughts drift to his father. When he looked back up at Aaron he found he did want to know. “Alright, what about my father?”

Aaron smiled that slow menacing smile at him.

“You killed him.”

* * *

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer looked at himself in the mirror. The cut of the suit was nice. Thankfully, he wasn't like Aaron and most stores had suits on hand that looked wonderful on him off the rack. That didn't mean he wasn't going to get at least two bespoke suits if he was here long enough. He looked at the dark grey pants and the way they fit on him. They were a perfect cut for him. Going by the colors in the Spencer of this universe's closest, darker colors were what he wore the most but there were always splashes of colors. The shop had private dressing areas. All of the clothes he'd pulled were on the rack and an attendant was taking care of his every need. The woman smiled as he turned.

"I'll take those pants in the colors we discussed. The coordinating belts as well."

"Of course, sir. Did you want to try the matching jacket?"

"Please." Spencer had long ago discarded the suit jacket he'd been wearing and had just his dress shirt on. He started to unbutton it as he turned around. The newer dress shirt was hanging on the wall beside him. There was a room where he could change in but he had underwear on under the pants. He stripped off his shirt tossing it over the edge of the door to the actual changing room and smiled. He could see the ever fading marks from his Aaron's hand the night before in the reflection in the mirrors scattered around the room. He'd have to remember to not let this Aaron see his back. There were no fresh marks on his front and he could pass them off as bullying in high school. This Spencer had to have faced that. Their paths didn't divert until it seemed around the time William left. He'd do some more digging at a later time.

"OH!"

Spencer looked up at the woman and saw her eyeing him. Eyeing his scars. He had forgot for a second that this wasn't his shop. That the attendants at the places where Aaron had him shop had never even tried to bring up the scars. Aaron's money bought a lot of silence and what money couldn't buy, threats took care of the rest.

"Yes?" Spencer asked, staring at her in the mirror until she looked up at him. He adopted his sternest stare and she dropped her eyes. He turned his eyes to look at himself in the mirror. He traced his hands down all of his scars on his front. Aaron had made sure that the scar from his mother attacking him that night had been taken care of and even every single one from before that. He'd been a blank slate before Aaron had started to mark him. He saved one scar for last. All of the ones on his front were faint. He could trace every single one of them from memory. The scars that the attendant could see were heavier. Those were from the bite of the whip. Those criss crossed his back and legs but she couldn't see the latter. He enjoyed having Aaron trace those when they were in bed, just being together. The heaviest scar on his front was above his heart. It was the Odal rune, marking him as Aaron's possession. Letting his pointer finger trace the scar helped him calm down. He had a feeling it was going to be one of the only things that held him together.

"I have the pants being pulled now." Her eyes were still on the scars.

"Good." Spencer slipped on the dress shirt, buttoning it up before tucking it into his pants. The woman was there with his vest. He slipped that on and then looked at himself. The woman was looking at his back still but he didn't care. "Lovely aren't they?"

"What?" She looked startled as she looked away from him again.

"My scars. Every single one of them was purposefully placed there."

"BDSM?" She sounded almost hopeful. Spencer could feel arousal building low in his belly. This trip was taking a very interesting turn.

"Yes. Sir does love it when I bleed for him." Spencer touched his chest, knowing he was touching his marks.

The woman's eyes held fascination now, tracing the path of the scars with her eyes even with the shirt on. Her hand was shaky as she handed over the jacket. He held her gaze in the mirror as he slipped it on. His mind calculated the odds on him needing a place to hide and he knew it would be in his interest to do anything he could to have a place unconnected with Spencer Reid to hide. He could tell she was submissive, he knew his own kind. When he was fully dressed except the tie, he turned to face her. Her eyes down and to the left. It wouldn't take much to have her at his beck and call. He was only submissive to one person and that was Aaron. Sir cultivated his persona into what he needed. Which in their professional life was someone who didn't take anything from anyone. Aaron got off on Spencer's attitude at work for those that were lower than him, which was everyone but Aaron. Especially the interns. One of the first times he'd ever done it was when one new intern had decided that she would get hired on as a lawyer by sleeping with Aaron.

Aaron getting flirted with was a daily occurrence but for most of the staff, it was something they enjoyed. It was playful and a way to push off the stress of the job. The intern though went as far as to try and sit in Aaron's lap, in his office, with Spencer in there as well. Spencer had dragged her out by the hair on her head and had thrown her to the floor. Aaron had come up behind him but hadn't touched him or stopped him. Just watched and listened as Spencer made sure she knew that what she did wasn't going to fly. One of the other partners had intervened only to get her out of there before getting rid of the intern all together. Aaron had slammed his office door shut as soon as the intern was on the elevator. Before Spencer could even question what he'd done, Aaron had him splayed on the desk, pants off. He'd worn a plug to work that day since they were office bound. It had been pulled from him and Aaron hadn't even paused as he slid inside to fuck him.

"Go lock the door. Is there security cameras in here?" He hadn't seen a single one but he wanted to be sure. It was a high end place. For someone to get into one of the private rooms, it was sure that they had the money needed. Those kind of people were too rich to have to steal clothes.

"No." The woman moved over to the door and locked it. She stayed by it. Waiting. Spencer grabbed the chair and moved it to the dias that he was standing on before sitting down in it. He arranged himself to his liking before looking at her again. He curled his finger in an invitation to moved towards him. He didn't say anything, wanting to see what she chose to do. She dropped to her knees and moved across the carpet, crawling. She had been played with some by someone. He wondered why that someone hadn't claimed her. She was beautiful. Someone that Aaron would have loved to have. There was small circle of like minded people in the DC area and clubs where they could go. While Spencer was the only Sub in Aaron's bed, there were other Subs that had felt the sting of his whip. Aaron was one of the best and he was damned good at getting Subs off with just the whip.

"Good girl." Spencer looked her up and down, smiling as he saw that she was wearing a long flowing skirt. It would make it all so much easier. He'd watched as Aaron played with others enough to be exactly what she would need but not cross a line that Aaron wouldn't forgive him for. "Take off your underwear."

"I..." She bit at her lip and looked down as her cheeks started to turn red.

"Oh! Aren't you a naughty thing? No underwear. Show me." Spencer leaned back. She shifted to her knees and sat back on her heels. Spreading her legs, she lifted the skirt up to where he could see all of her. Not only was she not wearing any underwear, she was also hairless. She had played a lot with someone and she still kept her habits. He wondered if she had left whoever it was or she had been let go of. "Unbutton your shirt."

She complied perfectly. It had obviously been a while if she was willing to submit to another sub and trust that he'd take care of her. Her nipples were already hard and he could smell her arousal. The thought of fucking her didn't even cross his mind as something to do. It didn't interest him. If it wasn't Aaron, he didn't want it. As a teen he'd thought about it. He'd watched as much het porn as he did gay, both females and males but his sexuality had been owned by Aaron for twelve years. He'd given it over willingly. When her shirt was all the way undone, she parted it and showed off her very ample breasts. She looked up at him when she was done.

"Such a good girl. And the front clasp bra. Go ahead and undo that as well but keep your shirt and bra on." Spencer watched her as she worked the bra open. There was no shyness, no coyness. She wanted what he was giving her and knew that she didn't need to angle for more. He hoped that a Dom found her soon. A Sub like her needed a Dom. She was probably floundering. "Do you like pain?"

"Yes."

"Good. Show me." Spencer leaned forward, getting closer to her but not touching. Never touching. She was reading him well and didn't move closer. She settled herself better on her legs, her fingers going up to her breasts and working them over. He watched as scratch lines formed on the upper and lower sides before she took her left nipple between her finger tips and not only squeezed but twisted as well. Her entire body shuddered at it. The smell of her arousal jumped after that. "That's not all you can take is it?"

Spencer stood up and moved over to where he'd laid the one tie that he'd wanted to see how it looked on himself before buying. He didn't move back in front of her, instead he crossed to behind her. He draped the tie across the front of her throat, pulling with barely there pressure to see what she did. Instead of leaning back, she pushed into it. Grabbing her hair as he dropped the tie, Spencer tipped her head back.

"Safeword." He wasn't going to play anything that heavy with her without it.

"Norway."

Spencer nodded and let go of her hair, watching the pout play across her lips. He settled into a mock parade rest and leaned over her. He could just barely see her pussy. "Work your way down." He reached out and grabbed her hair again. Using it to hold her still as well as help hold her up. She stopped for just a second and then kept working herself. Touching, teasing all over her stomach with one hand while the other still played with her breasts. Her first hand bypassed her pussy and went right for her thighs, digging her nails into the soft flesh. Her mouth fell open and she moaned. He jerked her hair a little.

"Silence." Spencer didn't want someone coming in and stopping them. He hadn't got his morning time with Aaron after their play and he was trying his hardest to keep a straight head in this world that was so opposite his own. This would help. She nodded as much as his hold on her hair would allow and then started towards her pussy with the hand that had been on her breasts. She spread her labia, trailing a finger up and down before moving back to her clit and rubbing. "Press."

She stopped the movement and instead did as he asked. Pressing down on her clit, harder and harder. He could feel the tremors of her body even through her hair. She was getting ever closer to orgasm. Letting go of her hair, Spencer grabbed the tie. He took the two ends and crossed them at the back of her neck, pulling every so slightly. Her whole body shuddered again. He smiled to himself. Bracing a knee on her back, he pulled a little more.

"Fuck yourself with your fingers and work your clit so hard you are going to feel it all day." Spencer felt her push back on his knee, testing how well it helped to hold herself up, when it didn't give at all, she worked on slipping two fingers inside. She moaned softly as he pulled the tie a little bit tighter. She could breath but she could feel the constriction. She'd need to wear her shirt with the collar buttoned up but she had to be used to that. "Harder."

"Close," she whispered. Spencer let up on the tie for long enough to crouch. Her body fit in the V that his legs made and he allowed her to lean back on him anymore. He gripped the tie farther down to where he had better control, tightening it up to where she had to fight to breath. Then when she let out a near sob, he cut off her ability to breath at all. Her whole body spasmed as she came. The only thing keeping her up was him, his body and the tie he had in his hands. He kept track of the seconds in his brain and then released her. She gasped but didn't pitch forward like most would. She stayed relaxed and in his arms.

Slipping the tie from around her neck, he stayed crouched as he worked it under his own collar and started to knot it while he worked on tying his preferred knot. He'd seen it not long after it had hit the tie world in two thousand and seven and loved it. Before the Eldredge tie knot had hit the world he'd used the Trinity knot. By the time that he was done, the woman was pushing off of him. He touched her shoulder, helping to calm her down. Now that the actual orgasm was over, he felt okay touching her. Hand down her arm and then down her back. He watched her with a careful eye as she stood up, her skirt falling down her legs again. She turned and when she touched her bra, he nodded. She straightened her clothes back onto her body, tucking her shirt back into her skirt and doing up the collar of her shirt to the top. She looked perfectly presentable. It wasn't hard to help her calm her hair down before moving the chair back to where it came from. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. The shirt and vest were perfect and the jacket was just lovely.

Looking at the woman in the mirror, Spencer saw that she seemed much more relaxed than she had been even before entering the private dressing room with him. If he was in his world, he'd make sure that Aaron found a good Dom for her. There was little that he could do for her. Giving her his number wouldn't help because he was going home as soon as he could manage. The Spencer of this world had no hope in helping her.

"Do you have the rest of the vests and jackets in my size?"

"They are being pulled now for you to try on."

"Good." Spencer eyed himself in the mirror. He looked good and he was hoping that the wardrobe change the Spencer of this world. He decided to wear the original vest and a plum colored shirt and the original jacket when he left. He had the other outfit bagged up and sent with the rest of the things he'd bought to the apartment.

The next shop was a high end jewelry store. He looked at everything before moving to the cufflinks. The salesman was perfect, he only offered to show him things, not try and sell him things. The man knew Spencer was leaving with something and doing a pitch would only run him off.

"You have a marvelous eye, Sir," the salesman said.

"Thank you. My clothing is darker as you can tell. So platinum for most of my cufflinks but that pair of black Tungsten, I already know I want."

"Of course."

Spencer eyed the case of platinum cufflinks. He would pull this Spencer kicking and screaming into a good wardrobe if he had to bankrupt him to do it. His bank accounts were more than healthy. Any time Spencer made a large purchase, it was either preceded by or followed by a trip to trip to a casino. It had been a while since he himself had been in one. He went on occasion, sometimes with Dave, once Morgan, but usually Grant. He'd have to make a stop in the next week if he didn't go home before then.

The first time he'd played after Aaron had rescued him had been when he'd had a group of people over for a big game. Spencer had been sixteen at the time. He'd been the drink runner for the men and one woman. Alberich had been the first out. One of the other players had pissed him off so he'd played hard and bankrupted himself five hands in. It had only taken one hand after for the others to ask Aaron if Spencer had ever played. Aaron had waved for him to answer that it had been two years since he'd played. So they had all given him ten percent of their pots and dealt him in. He'd played conservative for the first two hands but when Aaron's hand gripped his thigh, squeezing hard. Spencer didn't fold. Whatever tell he had, Aaron had known it and made him play to the best of his ability. He'd won it all that night. He'd been scared at first but Aaron had handed over the stakes they had made in him and they all left in good moods. He'd learned that the money was inconsequential to them. They played to have fun and getting their asses handed to them by a sixteen year old twig had made their night.

Spencer had tried to give the money to Aaron but instead if had gone into the account linked to the money Spencer bought himself things with. Aaron didn't have another game for nearly a year and then it was a game with two people that the group hated but had to keep good business relation with. Aaron kept up appearances with them and again, Spencer played bartender until one of the new men made a comment in Russian about Aaron's fine piece of ass kept boy. Spencer was dealt in with Louisa staking his buy in totally. She whispered in his ear to clean them out. He'd gotten approval from Aaron before he had but he'd done it. After that no one was shocked at him playing.

Walking around DC with a bag from one of the best stores was asking to be robbed so he had it courier to the apartment in a plain box. He'd have a lot of things to put up before Aaron got there so he needed to keep an eye on the time.

The shop where he found a collar that would pass as well as a pair of cuffs that would help him sleep didn't take long at all. Shoe shopping was the quickest as he had the size already and just needed colors to match or stand out against his new clothes. He also found a pair of loafers and a pair of wingtips he liked.

Ahead of schedule, Spencer passed a high-end hair salon and slipped inside. Thankfully, the place had a cancellation and he was able to be slipped in. He listened as a very flamboyant man chastised him for his cut but when he called it a hospital special after an accident, the man set about giving him a haircut that at least looked good without a word said on what it had been before. Never more thankful for the fact that Aaron had gotten him laser eye treatment. He watched the hands as the man used his scissors to fix up the cut. He was turned loose nearly an hour later with not only a good looking haircut but the products needed to maintain it as well as the walk through to get the style he wanted on it. He'd never had short hair in his life. He's always liked it long and Aaron loved it long. While the cut was going to grow on him, he knew he'd never get it cut short again. He'd looked at himself in the mirror after slipping his suit jacket back on. While it was a little dressier than Aaron was probably going to come dressed in, he was going to stay in the new suit. He looked damned good in it.

While getting his haircut, he'd thought exactly on what his game plan was. He had a responsibility to get home to Aaron. Aaron had told him more than once if he was in enemy hands to do whatever he needed to do to get home to him. He'd rather have him whole than broken. The Aaron of this world seemed to be a little sexually repressed. He wondered exactly what he would need to get the man into bed with him. Sex was one of the best ways to have a hold over him and he knew exactly how to play that to the best of his advantage. He'd seduced many men and women for Aaron, getting them right where his older lover needed them to be. Whether it was a compromising position with a half dressed man or dead. He'd never had to do more than get to his underwear though. Aaron wouldn't have wanted him to dirty himself in that way with the people he went after but this was different. He was totally alone. There was no one for him to count on and he had to survive. The only thing was to seduce this Aaron. He could distract him from a lot of things with sex as the distractor.

Plans cemented, Spencer had one last stop. He needed casual clothes. He needed casual clothes that he didn't want to burn. He was looking forward to the date. This wasn't his Aaron and he didn't think that he could ever hold a candle to his but the giddy phase of getting to know him had him very excited.


	3. Chapter Three

#  _Our World_

The knock on the door at one minute to seven had Spencer smiling. He couldn't abide it if Aaron was late. For him and his Aaron time was money and neither of them liked anyone who wasted it. He opened the door with a smile on his face and watched as Aaron just stared at him.

"You didn't need to dress up that much," Aaron said as he entered the apartment as Spencer stepped back.

"I went shopping for a few new things and I liked this." Spencer wasn't sure what Aaron or even the team had ever seen of the other Spencer's clothes so he just lied. When Aaron just nodded, not catching his lie, he wondered exactly how good other Spencer had been on lying or if the other just thought that he never did. He had a lot that he needed to look up and wanted to make the time to do it but he had to play along. If he was playing the other Spencer, he had to figure that the date was important to him. "I can change if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No!" Aaron blushed a little. "No, it looks good on you."

"And jeans look good on you," Spencer said and he meant it. Jeans were rare given their lives. Aaron had to look good and most of the time he stayed in a suit for most of the evening at home before changing into sleep clothes or just sleeping naked. He waved the older man farther into the apartment and closed the door behind him. Aaron went right to the kitchen. He saw several bags of food and wondered exactly how much this Spencer ate? Spencer was thin because he liked to be. He had muscle on him and it was hard earned muscle. Aaron always made sure that he ate but never forced him to unless he hadn't eaten all day. 

"I went ahead and got the burgers and a surprise." Aaron moved to the fridge and opened it up, slipping in what looked like a box from a bakery. It wasn't one that he knew so it had to be either one that he and his Aaron never went to or one that didn't exist in his world. He followed the man and tried to sneak a peak but Aaron grabbed him around the waist and pulled him back. He smiled feeling how hesitant the hold was on him. He could tell that touching was new between them. 

Turning in the other man's hold, Spencer wrapped his arms around his neck and kept him close. "Hi," Spencer said shyly. 

"Hi." Aaron ducked his head slightly and brushed their lips. That same hesitancy from that morning was there. He wanted that gone as soon as possible. His Aaron was never hesitant, even after he woke from a nightmare. Spencer slipped his hands up to hold his head still as he kissed him back. Aaron groaned as he licked at the seam of his lips. The lips parted when he licked across them a second time. He sighed when the man finally took charge of the kiss. He wasn't against taking charge but that wouldn't do for what he had planned with this Aaron. "And again, if we don't stop, we aren't going to. I need to eat as Strauss had me working through lunch today."

"Okay. I am pretty hungry." Spencer couldn't resist a final brush of lip on lip though. Aaron laughed as he pulled back. 

"You ate lunch today right?"

"Yes, Aaron I did. I had a cobb salad downtown between shops. And snacked at several of the shops." Spencer made his face look indignant. It wasn't a look he was used to but he knew how to do it. He was a master at all things deception, except around Aaron. He'd never been able to lie to him. It was easy to lie to this Aaron it seemed. Was this Spencer really that innocent? How after the childhood he had? Or did he keep up the innocent facade? Spencer was looking forward to finding out. "Did you want to eat in here or on the couch?"

"Couch is perfectly fine. I don't get to eat like that much anymore. Jack likes to have my undivided attention so we eat at the table, where the TV can't tempt us."

"Well the TV will be staying off," Spencer said as he grabbed two glasses from the cabinets. Aaron took one from him and easily moved to the fridge and filled it with water from the pitcher inside. Spencer went for the cran grape juice and hoped that it wasn't a mistake. Pop was a treat for Jack so Spencer and Aaron didn't drink it at home. Aaron grabbed the two bags of food left on the table and carried them into the living room. He thankfully took the middle couch seat and set down the food in front of his seat and the seat to the left of him. His dominant side. Spencer hid his smile into his juice as he took a sip of it. He watched as Aaron set out box after box, wondering again exactly how much food he'd bought. Then Spencer sat down and started to help open it all up and found that it had been separated. One box held several hamburger patties, another little cups of condiments. Another smaller box held lettuce, tomato, and onion. A little bag held cheese. The other two big boxes held both onion rings and fries. 

Aaron stood up and went to get plates from the kitchen. The man seemed to know his way around and if it wasn't because of their relationship, what was it from? Did Spencer entertain the team in this small apartment? He didn't think so as it was very tiny and the team was biggish in size and personality and there wasn't enough seating. The couch, the two chairs across from the chess tables, and the reading chair on the far side was about it. That would mean someone would have to sit on the hard table chairs and he didn't see Spencer wanting someone to do that. No, there was something else that had the man feeling at ease in the apartment and he needed to figure it out. 

Spencer took the plate that he was offered and started to work on putting together his burger. He watched as Aaron did his, needing to file it away, just to be safe. He'd have to be vigilant about everything for a while. He wasn't shocked when Aaron went for the pepperjack cheese in the baggie and left Spencer a piece each of pepperjack and what looked like swiss. Spencer gladly took them and put a piece in between his two patties and one on top. The underside had his condiments and on top of the cheese he put lettuce and onion. He didn't add too much but given the onion rings, it didn't seem that Aaron was worried about onion breath. There was always the fact that they could brush their teeth before anything more started. And he was going to make sure that something more happened.

"Has anything more about the past day come back to you?" Aaron asked as he sat back, balancing the box of now combined fries and rings on his leg. With ketchup cups on each of the corners. This it seemed was normal for him. How had those two done this kind of stuff and never moved on to more? He remembered the morning's conversation and the mention of Jessica. Jack was still in this world but who was Jessica? The flash of a memory from when his Jack was a baby and Haley trying to run, she'd tried to get to her sister's with him. The sister's name had been Jessica. So he had Jack and he had Jessica but why would Jessica give him the time of day after what had happened to Haley? Her death at the hands of a serial killer would make the relationship hard. Jessica Brooks in his world was a non entity in their lives. His Aaron had made sure that no one would even think of taking Jack from them. 

"Work is still a little fuzzy but I think that it's more just a repeat of daily working than anything. I remember your office, you asking me but after that it's all kind of blurry but the closer to the event, the fuzzier it's going to be. I may never get those memories back."

"Jack's worried. He knew that something was up given that he'd gone to bed with me home and Jessica was there when he got up. She told him that something with work came up but when I was there tonight to see him off and help him get ready he knew it wasn't a case. I told him that you had gone into the hospital last night and were released this morning. He was worried and I made sure he knew you weren't seriously hurt. Still he wanted you to see him in his date outfit so he made me take a picture." Aaron wiped his fingers on a napkin and then pulled his phone from his pocket. He leaned in close, brushing their shoulders as he unlocked his phone and opened up his gallery. Spencer saw the unlock code and made sure to commit it to memory. It was different than his own Aaron's and the numbers made no sense to him but he was sure it would become apparent to him as time went on. 

When Aaron handed the phone over, Spencer took it. He worked hard on keeping his reaction to himself. The only Jack that looked like that existed in his memory and in pictures now. Jack looked to be around six years old instead of the ten that he was in his world. His heart ached for the boy that was probably at least mostly sure that it wasn't his Spencer there with him. Jack had his father's intelligence and he doubted that Aaron would hide it from him for long, afraid of lying to him. He also doubted that Spencer would be prompted by Aaron to do all the little things that he did with the boy. 

"He looks adorable." Spencer resisted the urge to brush his thumb down the image. He hadn't thought much about his Jack. He made himself not think much on him. There wasn't a him and Aaron, not like in his world. This Jack hadn't grown up around that Spencer. It wasn't going to be anything like his world. He wasn't even sure if Jack would like the same things. He doubted the kid would know anything about guns. He wouldn't be trained in fighting techniques like his Jack was. But this Jack was at his favorite age for the boy. When he'd been so into learning everything. There had been times between the ages of four and six that he was sure that Aaron was ready to just gag them both and be done with it. One question always turned into two and then four and so on until it was like they would never end. He knew though that his Aaron loved the fact that Jack and him got along wonderfully. 

"He does," Aaron murmured. 

Spencer turned to see him staring off into space. Spencer set the phone on his leg and went back to eating. The burger was fabulous. Very close to what the chef did at the house. Aaron resumed eating several seconds later, not saying a word. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Spencer didn't know if it was a good silence or not. To him it felt wrong but this wasn't his Aaron and he didn't know all of his quirks. Still after Aaron ate his last bite of burger, he wiped his hands then pulled one of Spencer's hands into his lap. He threaded their fingers together, raising them up to kiss the back of his hand. He smiled at the older man and he smiled back, whatever maudlin thing that was on his mind was gone. 

Before Spencer could slide off the couch, Aaron was turning towards him, kissing his mouth. 

"I'll clean up, you relax. You didn't seem to rest at all today."

"The only way that you'll ever get me to stay in bed when I don't feel tired is to tie me there, Agent Hotchner," Spencer said with a smirk on his face. The flash on Aaron's face told Spencer that the thought wasn't as abhorrent as Spencer thought it would be to the man. He'd find the alpha inside him, the dominant that his Aaron allowed to rule him. First though, he needed to get Aaron to fuck him. Aaron leaned in and kissed him again, this time there was an edge to it. 

"Get up off the couch before I get back and no dessert," Aaron threatened as he stood up. Spencer pouted at him and all he did was laugh. Once Aaron was in the kitchen area, Spencer turned to prop his back up on the arm of the couch and tucked his legs up to his chest. As he did he felt something hit his leg. He frowned until he saw it was Aaron's phone. Snatching it up, Spencer smiled as he unlocked it. He easily worked through texts to and from Aaron and the other Spencer, all the while keeping an ear out for Aaron. It wasn't hard to realize that they kept their relationship out of the texts, other than fondness and discussions of Jack. Those he filed away to help him. The one text that shocked him was the one from Jessica. She told him that she had bought him a few things and left them in his bathroom. Spencer was intrigued so he read only to find that no mention of what said items were was listed in the conversation. 

"I'm thirsty!" Spencer called out. He heard a chuckle from Aaron and smiled as he dropped the phone back down. Aaron came out just seconds later with a cup of coffee in his hand. Spencer took it from him before pulling him down into another kiss. Aaron hummed before allowing Spencer to lick into his mouth. He blindly set the cup down and coaxed Aaron onto the couch on top of him. The man settled in the V of his spread legs easily. Spencer slid down the couch a little, settling the man farther down onto him. He sighed as Aaron's weight pushed him down into the couch. His body shuddered and Aaron thrust into him. It was easy to get lost in his mouth. The taste of him was the same as his Aaron. The hands that touched him were close enough in the callouses on them that it was easy to pretend. Roleplay, he was used to. He had to use it when he was getting information from people. He just had to employ the same principles. 

Aaron pulled him down a little more, aligning their groins. There was such desperation to Aaron's movements and touches that Spencer knew it had been a while. Given how long it had been since the divorce, Spencer figured that the last time he'd had sex was long before that. That wouldn't do with what he wanted. He tried to wiggle down more but he stopped when the hand on his hip tightened. He didn't want to have Aaron go off in his pants like a teenager. He needed to calm this down. As he grabbed Aaron's hips, a wicked idea came to him. It would give Aaron the relief he needed and still make it so that the connection was there. So he slipped a hand down and rubbed at the half formed erection that Aaron was sporting. He wondered if he'd be able to talk the man into an office blow job before he went home to his universe.

"How about you lay back there and let me..." Spencer stopped. He knew what he'd say if it was him and his Aaron. So instead he made himself blush and duck his head a little bit. He whispered, "Can I suck your cock?"

"Yes," Aaron said. He grudgingly lifted up and laid back against the opposite arm. One leg was pressed against the back cushions and the other Spencer knocked off the couch as he sat up to his knees. He leaned over to kiss Aaron again as he worked his pants open. He smiled into the kiss as he felt that Aaron was fully hard and he hadn't even touched him skin to skin yet. 

"Are you clean?" Spencer asked, almost forgetting. There had been no time in his and his Aaron's relationship where condoms were used. Aaron was militant on making sure they were in good health and free from everything. "Or do I need to get a condom?" 

"I'm clean," Aaron said. 

"Good. I dislike condoms." Spencer laid down, shoving his knees into the arm of the couch where his head had been before. The couch was the perfect length with Aaron propped on the arm. He leaned down to exhale on Aaron's cloth covered cock. He watched it twitch while trapped. Finally, he couldn't take torturing the man anymore and he pulled down on the underwear, helping the cock free itself. He buried his nose in the base and inhaled. 

"Spencer," Aaron said brokenly. 

Spencer just smirked and looked up at him as he took the head in his mouth. He kept their eyes locked as he swiped his tongue around the entirety of what was in his mouth. When he slipped his tongue between his lips and the head, licking at the underside some, Aaron's eyes closed and his head dropped back. This Aaron had no clue who he had sucking his cock. Just how dangerous he was. Spencer moaned as he took nearly the whole thing in his mouth. Deep throating was as easy as breathing for him. His Aaron had taught him not long after Spencer had seduced him. His mouth knew the cock in his mouth, even if the man was different. His hands found all of the hot spots along the stretch of thigh skin that matched his own Aaron. He wondered if he could get him to beg. 

Moving all the way down, taking the entire cock in and swallowing around the head, Spencer let Aaron feel just a hint of it before he pulled up, focusing on the head with his tongue while he used one of his hands to play with his balls. 

"Fuck," Aaron whispered. One of his hands ghosted along the top of Spencer's head, he didn't grab though and Spencer smiled around the cock in his mouth as he looked up, finding heated eyes looking at him. He went all the way down again, teasing him as he rolled the balls in his hand. He wriggled his other hand down to see if the jeans would allow him to pressed on Aaron's perineum and nearly crowed when they did. He pressed up into it as he swallowed Aaron's cock down again. He wasn't shocked about the cry that Aaron let out or the swell of flesh in his mouth. He stayed with cock in his throat as Aaron came down it. When he was fairly certain that Aaron had nothing left to give, he released the cock before it became over sensitive. Aaron grabbed him by the back of the head and hauled him in to kiss him. There was just a small taste of Aaron in his mouth so he knew that the man wasn't chasing that as his tongue tried to count every single one of his teeth. 

"Did I rob the great Aaron Hotchner of his speech?" Spencer asked as he pulled back just enough to brace his forehead on Aaron's.

"I knew that your brain was a weapon. Spending thirteen minutes talking down a serial killer so that he didn't try and kill us proved that to me. But this." Aaron reached up with his hand, thumbing at his lip. "I don't think I'll never not think about it as a weapon as well."

"It's just an extension of my brain." 

Aaron smiled up at him and Spencer could see his Aaron in that smile. It was nice to see another piece of his lover in his doppleganger. A hand moved down to start working on his pants. He grabbed the hand and pulled it up, kissing the palm of it before laying it on his cheek. 

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked before Spencer could say anything.

"I don't...I don't want that right now. Why don't you go get that dessert you've got hidden in there and I'll go to the bathroom?"

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want to go until we are tangled in bed, you inside me." Spencer pecked a kiss on his lips before getting up and leaving. 

The rest of the evening flowed like a well driven orchestra. Aaron shared the Madeline pastries with him, hand feeding him. Then a movie on the couch where Spencer drove Aaron insane with touch. He wanted the man desperate for release. 

By the time that they were in bed, Aaron had left several marks just below the collar of his shirt. Spencer had him stripped while he still had his shirt and underwear on. Every time that Aaron tried to work on his shirt, Spencer distracted him. It wasn't long though before Aaron wasn't too be distracted anymore. 

Aaron shoved him down onto the bed and stared at him. The inquisitive Hotchner eye looked him up and down before his hands went to the bottom button of Spencer's shirt. The room was silent except for the miniscule sound of the button popping free. Aaron kissed at skin as it was revealed but as soon as those lips found the first scar, Spencer knew it. The rest of the buttons were opened with Aaron's whole gaze focused on the scars as they appeared. His eye lingered on the rune above his heart. 

"It's the odal rune. It means possession. I own my scars." 

"We will talk about them later." Aaron kissed just below the rune. Spencer pulled him up for a kiss. Aaron's erection had softened some but after a few minutes of kissing and thrusting on each other, Aaron was fully hard again. 

"I need you in me, Aaron," Spencer said. He propped his legs up, squeezing Aaron's sides with his knees. Aaron fumbled for the drawer at the bedside. His hand appeared seconds later with a bottle of lube. 

"There are no condoms."

"Don't need them. Want to feel you." Spencer thrust up against him. "Every single inch of you as you slide into me."

Aaron flipped the cap open on the lube, coating several fingers before closing it again. Spencer felt one trace his hole a few times before slipping inside of him. He didn't want to be stretched too much. He wanted to feel it. So when Aaron pulled his two fingers out to slip in three, he shook his head. 

"I'm ready."

"Spencer let me..."

"Aaron, I know my body."

Aaron looked hesitant so Spencer took matters into his own hands. He sat up, so Aaron leaned up and back as well. Spencer took him right back until the man was on his back and Spencer astride his hips. Spencer kept his eyes locked with Aaron's as he slid down his cock. The stretch and burn felt good. The pain of it made him feel alive. Aaron was watching his face and not his cock so he didn't realize that Spencer's cock wasn't completely hard until Aaron was fully inside of him. 

The first rock of their bodies together had Aaron crying out. Spencer closed his eyes to feel it all better. Hands gripped his hips and he gasped as Aaron thrust up to meet him. The slid of cock in him felt good and as the hands gripped him tight, Spencer could almost believe it was his Aaron. 

Aaron turned the tables, tipping Spencer back onto the bed then thrust back inside him, hard. He drew legs up and pulled Aaron into a kiss. He didn't want to say the wrong words so it was better to keep his mouth occupied. 

Spencer rode the edge of coming for a long while, moaning into their kiss when the man would thrust into harder. His cock was pressed between their bodies, leaking horribly. He felt Aaron go, the swell of cock inside him, the pressure of the cock pressed all the way inside him. This wasn't lazy morning sex though. This wasn't Aaron losing himself in his body after a night of play. He was trained and Aaron's pet wasn't allowed to come without being told to. 

A hand snaking between them surprised him. He rocked up into it, mewling when Aaron's cock slipped out of him. 

"Close?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer nodded, trying to thrust up harder into the hand. He bit his lip trying to stop himself from begging. 

"Come on, Spencer." Aaron said hotly in his ear. The hand on his cock tightened and Spencer cried out. "Come for me."

Spencer's entire body locked up as he came. His cry was wordless as he slumped onto the bed boneless. He knew if he stayed there, he'd go to sleep and he needed to clean up. Aaron was laying along his side, one hand tracing nonsense on his thigh. 

"Give me a moment and I'll clean us up."

"I shower after sex, Aaron. As soon as I can walk." Spencer laid there for several minutes before he got up. Aaron followed him into the bathroom but didn't join him in the shower. He allowed the other man to wash up before he turned the shower on. 

By the time Spencer exited the bathroom, Aaron was in bed. He wasn't asleep though. Spencer hesitated, unsure what was going to happen if he slept without the cuffs. He hadn't in so long. He knew he'd have to try though. If a case came up, it would be hard to hide them if he would have to share a room. After he slid under the covers, Aaron wrapped his arms around him. 

Spencer listened to him breathe as they laid there. Just when he thought the other man was asleep, he pressed himself closer and kissed his neck. 

"I love you," Aaron said in his ear. 

"Love you too," Spencer murmured back, faking a roughness of sleep to his voice. Aaron murmured and nuzzled in closer. It was seconds later that he was asleep. Spencer laid there longer before sleep claimed him. Wanting stronger arms banded around him. Wanting cuffs around his wrists and his collar around his neck.

* * *

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

“What?” Spencer looked at Aaron, shock evident on his face.

“Well, not you obviously. My Spencer. It was his college graduation gift when he turned 18. As much as you might hate or strongly dislike your father, my Spencer loathed him. Oh, don’t worry, there is no evidence and even if you were to record me it would be thrown out because it was without my consent.” Aaron picked up a piece of shrimp and popped it into his mouth chewing and smiling at the same time.

“You’re both insane.” Spencer pushed his food away and took a long drink of his water trying to soothe his suddenly dry throat.

“No, we are not. What I fully accept is that I am a sociopath. I am aware of myself at all times Spencer. I know what it is that I do.”

“And what is it you do? What exactly is it that you do that could get us killed?” Spencer had leaned in and narrowed his eyes at Aaron.

“Power, Spencer. It’s all about power. Who has it and who doesn’t. I have carefully cultivated my contacts, and those that are loyal to me. I don’t make anyone do anything. Everyone in my network does whatever I need because they want to. I have never had to coerce anyone.”

Spencer sat back in his chair and ran a hand over his face and started to think long and hard.

“That’s what the pro bono work is as well as the charity work, fundraisers, philanthropy, even the lobbying I found that you’ve done. You’ve been manipulating laws and what, the government itself?”

“In a way. I have a lot of influence Spencer. Sometimes it gets ugly and there are those out there that oppose what I and my network have been trying to do.”

“And what exactly is that?”

“Change. Making things better. When I was growing-up things were very different. The US was at near civil war, but with my father’s influence, as well as many of his friends it was stemmed. You see The Evangelical Church had gotten to the point where they were trying to take over, some well placed rumors, which were true by the way, and a choking off of their funds it was soon brought to light that they were behind the rampant rise in prejudice, and attempts at cutting off citizens civil liberties. There is still organized religion, but it is now illegal to have religion in politics, on any level. Many rights were cemented and the last thirty years the US has seen the biggest economic boom since the late 1950’s. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a long way to go, but things are better than they were. Though I abhor my father, I am continuing the work he started.”

“So, you are doing this to help everyone else.”

Aaron sat back and laughed. He took a drink of his wine, then set it aside.

“Hell no. I’m doing this for myself, my network and my family. I couldn't give give a rat’s ass what the rest of the US thinks. If it gets me what I want, I’ll exploit or hinder it at will.”

Spencer didn’t know how to respond. He was sick to his stomach but knew he had nowhere to go. He needed Aaron and it made him angry. He closed his eyes and tried to stem the tide of the emotions that were rolling through him.

“ _Spencer,_ ” He looked up sharply to see Aaron glaring at him. That look he knew well. He realized he must have been too much in his head.

“You are nothing like my Aaron. He’s good and kind and you, I don’t even know what to think. I hate that I need you, but I do.”

“And as long as you play along, nothing bad will happen.” Aaron looked-up to see JJ and Dave walking into the restaurant. “Come on, we are moving this conversation to the club. Dave and JJ are here and the client should be there as well.”

Spencer stood and followed Aaron to the other side of the restaurant that had a private entrance. He was directed to a table with the other arrivals and only half paid attention. He was still working through everything in his head, trying to make sense of this world and he just couldn’t. Not yet at least. He needed to be alone, time to get lost in his thoughts, but he wasn’t sure when that would be. He was so lost in his head that the didn’t realize when the meeting was ending.

“Thank you Dave, Mr. Sarkisian, expect a call from my secretary in three days. I’ll have more information on how to proceed with your case by then.” Aaron had stood and was shaking hands with the client. JJ was writing down some things on a tablet and Dave, well Dave was just creeping him out and he wasn’t sure why.

“If we are going to make it for the press conference we need to get going back to the office. You both have what we need, get in touch with Maisie and let her know, she’ll coordinate Mr. Sarkisian’s case with me.”

“Okay Aaron. I have it all, we’ll see you at the house after the press conference.”

The four of them went their separate ways and Spencer just let himself be led out of the restaurant. They got back to the office a few minutes later and the rest of the day went quickly. When the clock approached five fifteen, Aaron was once again ushering them out of the office. They were on the courthouse steps and in front of camera’s by five till six. Spencer, for some reason, was more nervous about this than he had been by everything else in the day. He wasn’t a stranger to cameras but this was different, it felt different and he was trying to stay calm.

The reporters kept smiling at them and throwing them questions that made Spencer pause. The press conference hadn’t even started and Aaron switched on the charm. Spencer attempted to smile when asked questions and there were way too many of them about his hair, it was making him self-conscious.

It was a few minutes later when the lights went on, the cameras started to roll and the press conference was in full swing.

“Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to let you know that justice has not been served in the case of James Heathridge. Now, before you get angry with me, let me explain. Mr. Heathridge has been under his mother’s influence for most of his life. His mother, Catherine, was a delusional schizophrenic who believed a fairy story about witches that had cursed the Heathridge family. While Catherine was in and out of several mental hospitals over the years, no one even did a family evaluation to see what kind of influence she had on her children. While James does not have the classical symptoms of schizophrenia, he has, through his mother’s influence, become delusional. He truly believes that the women that were killed were witches. I do not think this young man should be released back into the public, what I do believe is that he should be moved from the Virginia State Correctional Institute, into the Virginia State Mental Health Hospital for the Criminally Insane. He needs help, what he does not need is to be subjected to the kinds of people that are housed in the Correctional Institute. I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the young man’s life is in danger.” Aaron paused and took a deep breath.

“The hearings that will be taking place over the next few weeks will, hopefully, determine that the young man should be moved. And I sincerely hope that justice will be served for this young man.” Aaron waved a hand towards the reports, “I will now take your questions.”

Several reports were jumping up, raising their hands trying to get Aaron’s attention.

“Miss Carmichael.” Aaron pointed to a pretty redhead.

“Counselor, do you really believe that Mr. Heathridge should be moved? Don’t you think that it’s unfair to the families of the victims he killed to say that justice has not been served?”

“No. While I do have compassion for the families that have grieved over the loss of their loved ones, James Heathridge should have had intervention long before now. His mother should never have been allowed to be as close as she was knowing her condition. We are currently looking into services for the sister as well.”

More hands and more questions. The press conference went on for about fifteen minutes. Then one of the reports asked an off topic question that had Spencer’s eyes almost bulging out of his head.

“Mr. Hotchner, I can speak for everyone here when I say that you and Dr. Reid look as amazing as ever. When, do you suppose, you will be putting a ring on it?” The female reporter smiled wide as she gave Aaron a bit of a flirty smile.

Spencer turned to look at Aaron and that dimple popping Hotchner smile came out and he almost melted right there on the podium.

“Well, Ms. Grant, Spencer and I quite like things how they are, but that isn’t to say that they can’t change in the future.” There were a lot of ooh’s and aah’s from the reporters. Aaron was smooth and charming through the whole thing and it set Spencer’s back up.

“I’m sorry everyone, that will be enough for today. Though Spencer and I will be attending the benefit dinner at the Bergamont tomorrow evening and you can ask us the more...personal questions then...” Aaron smiled and leaned in and kissed Spencer, who, to his credit, leaned in and made it look good. Aaron turned back to the reports and smiled once more, “Doesn’t mean we’ll answer.” He chuckled as the lights and cameras were being turned off.

“You did perfect. Now smile, hold my hand and look happy.” Aaron nuzzled his neck for the crowd as he whispered this in Spencer’s ear.

Spencer wanted to protest. Everything inside him wanted him to runaway but it was too crowded and all the reporters were there looking at them fondly. This also gave him pause because he had no clue what to make of it. He took a deep breath, laced his fingers with Aaron’s and beamed his best smile as they left the podium practically wrapped around each other.

By the time they returned to Aaron’s mansion Spencer was a nervous wreck. He just wanted to curl up in the library with a book and get lost in his thoughts. He didn’t think Aaron was going to let him, though.

“I know this day has been taxing on you. Have a light dinner, you didn’t eat much at lunch, and if you’d like to take time for yourself please do. If you are anything like my Spencer your mind is going a million miles a minute and you are trying to process everything that has happened. There’s the library, a viewing room with several hundred movies and TV shows you can choose from, or if you’d like to see what Spencer is researching, please go ahead to his study. Just make sure to keep everything exactly like it is.” 

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you giving me that much freedom?”

“You aren’t a slave Spencer. If that is what you think my relationship to him is, then you know nothing at all. Yes, I am dominant over him, but it’s all consensual and all his choice. If he told me to go fuck off tomorrow, well, it would hurt like hell, but I won’t hold him here. I love him too much.” Spencer watched as Aaron closed his eyes and fisted his hands tight trying to stem his anger. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry about all this. I know I keep saying it but I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to make this better for either of us until we find Charlie.”

“And I will get him here, believe me I want him back as much as you want to go back.” Aaron glared at the young man before he stalked off.

Spencer rubbed at his head before he went to the kitchen to have something light to eat. He found some cheeses, crackers and some fruit. He plated-up a little of each and, looking through cupboards, found some marcona almonds and a lavender honey he spooned onto the almonds. Taking his plate he went into the library and browsed for a few moments. What startled him were how many books were in Latin, German, Spanish, French, Russian and even a few in Japanese. It made him even more curious about this world’s Aaron Hotchner.

Choosing Dante’s Inferno in a German edition he’d never read before he settled on the comfortable sofa that was under the clerestory style windows. He curled up and started to absently snack on his food while reading. He got lost in the story around the time Dante reached the fourth level. He almost laughed out loud because the theme of the sin of greed seemed to fit his current situation.

“I was coming to get you. It’s time for bed Spencer.” Aaron walked in and set the plate aside and looked at the book in Spencer’s hand.

“Do you feel like Dante, Spencer?” Aaron asked as he sat on the couch. Spencer could tell by the man’s body language that he wanted to reach out and touch him. He set the book aside and was conflicted on what to do. A part of him that missed Aaron, missed out on their date wanted this Aaron to touch him. But, he knew if he let that happen, he wasn’t sure if he’d come back from that.

“No. It’s just been one of my favorite books.” He stood. He didn’t want to argue with the man so he started off towards the bedroom. By the time he was undressed and in bed, he was almost resigned to his current fate. He was tired, so many emotions, so many head games in such a short time that he just didn’t have it in him to fight. When the cuffs came around his wrists and a body was nestled behind him with a heavy arm around his waist Spencer turned into the pillow and silently cried.

* * *

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer woke up with a gasp, shooting up in the bed. He looked around the room seeing nothing but his old bedroom from Las Vegas. From when he was a kid. He reached up under the bed for the gun that was holstered to his side of the bed but it wasn't there. The holster wasn't there. He knew it should be, no matter where his mind was trying to tell him that he was. He rolled off the bed, searching for it. 

"Spencer?" Aaron called out. He sounded sleepy. That wasn't right. Spencer should have been cuffed to the bed. If he had woke Aaron with a nightmare, the man would have just unhooked the cuffs from each other but he would have left him chained to the bed. Spencer made himself breathe. He needed to calm down. As he did he was able to realize that it wasn't his old bedroom back in Vegas, it just sort of had the same layout. He looked at the man on the bed and remembered everything. He wasn't at home. He was in some apartment in the DC. That wasn't his Aaron in that bed. It was the other Spencer's Aaron. He slumped down and Aaron caught him, pulling him onto the bed. "What's wrong?"

"Just a nightmare," Spencer said. He couldn't go into the horrors of his past. Those horrors were not the other Spencer's horrors. His were the horrors that he himself had done to countless men and women. "Just minute of the day."

"I'm here. Tell me about it." Aaron's voice was soft and gentle. His hands didn't stop moving on his body. Up and down and maddening in their pursuit of calming him down. His heart was still racing but the smell and feel of Aaron was calming it down. Aaron shifted to lay above him. Staring down into his face, trying to read it. 

"No. It's nothing concrete just images flashing and words." Spencer just stared at him. 

"What can I do to help?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer leaned up and kissed him. Aaron was hesitant but he gave into the kiss. It wasn't hard to coax the man into hardness. Thrusting up into him and relaxing down. All the things that he has learned that his Aaron likes when the man wants him to work for it. A moan at the right time. A hitch in his breath when Aaron's resolve breaks and thrust into him hard enough that the bed groans. 

"Make me forget," Spencer whispered as Aaron started to kiss down his jaw. "Make me feel."

Aaron shuffled around, removing the pants he'd put on at some point in the night. No wonder he'd been jarred. It was rare for Aaron to sleep with clothes on. Aaron came back to him with lube on his hand, slicking them both up. He wiped his hand on a pillowcase before throwing it off the bed. Spencer was disgusted by it. He schooled his features before Aaron looked back at him. He watched Aaron's face as the man started up a rhythm. It was fantastic for him. The newness of it all was a wonder to Aaron and Spencer hated it. He didn't want it. He wanted his Aaron back and their set ways and a life of happiness and love. 

Lost in memories, Spencer felt Aaron's chase of his own orgasm. He felt the spill of fluid on his own cock and sagged in relief. It had not gone anywhere near the way that he wanted. Aaron sought his mouth out again and he gave into the kiss. 

"Relax and I'll get something to clean us up," Aaron whispered in his ear as slid off of him. 

Spencer though couldn't take it. He got up off the bed and followed Aaron into the bathroom. The older man turned to say something but Spencer just kissed the side of his face before slipping into the shower. Aaron didn't join him and Spencer was thankful for it. He turned the water up a little higher than normal as he washed himself off. When he was done twenty minutes later, he toweled himself off slowly, getting every single drop of water off his body and making sure that his hair was dry. 

Padding naked into the bedroom, Spencer found Aaron asleep in the bed. Given what he knew of this world's Spencer, this Aaron was perfect for him. He moved to the dresser and grabbed the black bag from his shopping trip. He'd stuffed it in his underwear drawer figuring that it was the safest place. He slipped out of the room with it and cringed as the door squeaked. He listened as Aaron thankfully kept on sleeping. 

Standing in the moonlight in the middle of the living room, Spencer pulled his new collar out. His hands shook as he slipped it on. He buckled it and just the feel of it around his throat helped calm him down. He grabbed the cuffs out next and slipped them on. It took some maneuvering but he did it. He'd seen Aaron's alarms on his phone and knew what time he was going to get up so Spencer set one of his own for half an hour earlier than that. He curled onto the couch and grabbed the throw from the back. He had to get his mind right. He had to make sure that he could go through with the plans because he needed to live. He needed to live and he needed to not fuck this Spencer's life. 

He knew he was damaged but he didn't want to damage this Spencer's life. He'd got the good end of the stick as far as life went. This Spencer hadn't had an easy life. This Spencer had to face eight years of a mother who was slowly slipping away, a woman that he loved and seemed to cherish. Spencer would never give up Aaron for that but then he'd never fully known any parent who loved him. He hadn't known love other than Aaron but this Spencer had a godson and a team who loved him and Spencer couldn't wreck that for him. 

The alarm on Spencer's phone jarred him awake. He silenced it and stumbled to the bedroom, pulling off his collar and cuffs. The underwear drawer was still open and he slipped them inside, underneath all the pairs inside. Aaron was asleep on his back and he slipped into the bed as carefully as he could. Aaron rolled over to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. He laid there, staring at the window. Sleeping in the cuffs had helped but he was still far away from where he needed to be. 

When the alarm on Aaron's phone went off roughly twenty five minutes later, Spencer was wide awake but acted dead asleep. The alarm was silenced and Spencer waited to see what Aaron was going to do. He wasn't expecting to feel Aaron pull away some. Then he felt fingers tracing his scars on his back. He sighed happily. The fingers went from hesitant to heavy on his scars. He rolled onto his front and Aaron followed him. 

By the time that all of the scars had been traced with fingers, Spencer was squirming in arousal. Aaron straddled him, his cock slipping between Spencer's ass cheeks. Spencer moved to push himself up so that Aaron could fuck him but the man pushed him back down. Covering his entire body, stretching his arms up where he could press them into the bed at his head. 

Spencer was thrusting his cock into the mattress, wanting permission to come. He opened his mouth to beg but a tongue started to trace his upper most scars and he lost all sense of reason. His Aaron rarely did anything like it, not out of spite but the fact that it worked Spencer up so much. It was a treat. A reward for a superb job. He'd come without permission, one of the only times he ever had after Aaron had started to demand it of him. 

"Are you close?" Aaron asked, lips pressed to one of the heaviest marks on his back. Spencer could only nod. "Don't wait for me."

Spencer took that as permission so when he felt the pull in his groin, he let go. Aaron nuzzled into Spencer's neck, drawing their linked hands underneath Spencer's chest, pressing him down more into the bed. In that instant, he felt safer than he had since he'd opened his eyes in the hospital and realized he wasn't in his universe. Aaron came with a gasp and Spencer felt his release pool on his back. He expected Aaron to move away from him but he didn't. They stayed right like that, Spencer in the wet spot and Aaron's spreading more as his weight crushed more into Spencer. He laid his head down, sort of trapping Aaron where he was.

"Your back is worse than your front." Aaron ducked his head a little and kissed at a spot on Spencer's shoulder."

"It's nothing you need to worry about."

"You look worse than some victims we've saved, Spencer. You can't tell me not to worry about it."

"It was in the past, before I knew you." Which technically wasn't a lie. It had been a while since a new mark had been added to him and it was before he had met this Aaron. Aaron was going to be thinking before this Spencer had joined the FBI though. "I don't want to discuss them. I've accepted them as part of me and you need to do the same."

"I want to erase the pain," Aaron said, his voice sounded so earnest that Spencer wanted to laugh. What would he think if Spencer told him the truth that each mark was put there with his consent? That each and every single one of them he wore as a badge to show his love for his Aaron? 

"If you erase the pain, you'll change who I am. I like who I am and you love who I am. We can't change it and I don't want to. I live with my scars and I accept them." Spencer closed his mouth before he asked Aaron if he accepted his because he knew that he didn't. He'd seen them but hadn't said a word. He'd work on that because he could tell that the scars were a badge of shame. If they were the scars that Spencer thought they were, from this world's twisted Foyet, he should be proud of them. Even if it did cost him his wife.

"How did none of us know that you had pierced nipples and a belly button ring?" 

"Because I didn't want you to. I have silicone rings and rods that I wear on cases and at work. It's not hard to hide them."

"Even being stripped to get scrubbed from Anthrax?"

"Oh, the decontamination team took them and destroyed them." Spencer made a mental note to figure out exactly how the hell this Spencer had gotten anthrax. He tried to imagine his Aaron if he got sick like that. None of them really got sick. There was the colds that came and seasonal allergies that would get worse at the start of spring but that was pretty much it. His Aaron would freak out if he caught something bad and would probably horrifying if he'd been exposed to anthrax. If it had happened on purpose, Spencer would probably be assigned a bodyguard on a full time basis instead of the occasional time that he needed it during high profile cases. If it was a large scale exposure, Aaron would probably sue the fuck out of everyone involved. He'd ruffle feathers from the local mayor all the way up to the President. "Wouldn't take any chances."

"How have we never seen them?"

"Because you think I strip naked around people all the time?" Spencer asked, his tone affronted. 

"Even if you did, you aren't going to anymore. I don't like to share." The words were followed by teeth scraping his shoulder. "What time is it?" 

"Just a little past six thirty." 

"Why did my alarm go off?" Aaron relaxed back on top of him. It felt wonderful and he enjoyed just laying there. 

"Did you do an early run on Saturday last week?" Spencer was sure that with Aaron's physique that he ran and he ran often.

"I did. I want to go back to sleep."

"Just like this?" Spencer asked, yawning as he did. He turned his head to his side, laying his cheek on top of Aaron's hands and closed his eyes. 

"Really?" Aaron asked but he didn't move. 

"I can breathe and I like your weight on me."

Aaron shifted down to laid his head on the back of Spencer's neck, his face turned the same way as Spencer's. "Then like this we shall sleep."

Spencer listened as Aaron's breathing evened out in sleep then allowed himself to drift off to sleep between one breath and the next.

* * *

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

“ _No…..stop, please I don’t want it, I don’t please…_ ” 

Spencer was shaking and trying to come out of the dream. He had tears streaming down his face and his body was covered in sweat. His eyes flew open and he was panicked. He didn’t know where he was and when he moved his hands and saw the cuffs he started struggling hard against them.

“Get them off! Get them off!..” He was almost screaming as he was struggling to get out of the cuffs. Without warning they were being taken off and he was being engulfed in strong, comforting arms. A hand was in his hair, rubbing at his scalp while the other arm was around his waist holding him close. He was also trying to remember where he was but at the moment he just gave in to his emotions, gave in to the comfort and the kisses to his forehead and temples. He gripped tighter around the man and the words he was saying started to break through the fog in his brain.

“Shh, Spencer, shh, it’s okay, you’re okay. No one is going to hurt you, it’s okay.” That warm soothing voice he knew. He’d heard the very same words from Aaron when he’d had nightmares after Georgia and they shared rooms. Awareness of where he was and who he was with came back to him slowly and it made him cry even harder. He didn’t want to be comforted by this man, He wanted his Aaron, and _his_ life back. Not this crazy world where Aaron played power games and head games. 

However, there was a part of this man that was still _Aaron_. The way his arms felt, it was like that time in the graveyard and Hotch had been there to hold him, hug him. The words and tone were soothing like those nights in hotel rooms when Hotch had been there to wake him from a dream and lie with him in his bed. Though they hadn’t done anything with each other, the comfort they often sought soothed the both of them. _This_ Aaron was just enough like his own that it made him forget himself for a moment when he lifted his head and kissed him.

He was gently being laid back down and Aaron was on top of him. He looked up and he knew he could say no, should say no, but he didn’t. What he did surprised even him. He reached up and carded his fingers in Aaron’s hair and pulled him down, kissing him, thrusting up into the man and moaned when their cocks rubbed together.

“I...this doesn’t mean….” Spencer’s breath quickened as Aaron thrust down against him and covered his mouth with his own. The kiss was searing and burned right down to his gut. Aaron’s tongue licked into his mouth and he opened giving the other man access. A part of him was screaming to stop, that this was wrong, but another part, the part that was hurting and in pain, the part that had wanted his Aaron for so long overruled that other part. He let Aaron take him, let him kiss him and rock their hips together. The burn of skin on skin made Spencer feel alive, he just wanted to feel alive.

“No, this doesn’t mean anything other than I want to comfort you. I want to chase whatever nightmare you had from your mind. Let me have you Spencer, let me comfort you.” Aaron nipped at his neck and he was lost.

“Yes,” he heard himself saying before he could stop himself. He almost whined when Aaron moved off him, but he was back a moment later with a bottle of lube.

“Don’t want to hurt you.”

“Somehow I think that’s a lie. I think you do want to hurt me. I think you want to do to me what you do to your Spencer, but you don’t want me to leave, so, you won’t hurt me.”

Aaron reached down and cupped Spencer’s cheek, “You are just as beautiful and just as smart as my Pet. But yes, I don’t want you to leave so I won’t hurt you, not unless you ask me to.” Spencer watched as Aaron poured some lube into his hand and slicked-up both of their cocks. Wiping his hand on a towel he kept near the bed just for this reason, Aaron settled between Spencer’s open legs. He once again started to kiss Spencer as he thrust against him. 

Spencer moaned deep in his throat as he thrust up, feeling the glide of his cock against Aaron’s. He dug his fingers in Aaron’s ass as their motions became faster, and more urgent. He knew he was close when he felt the pull in his thighs, as it moved through his groin, tightening up his balls his breath hitched as he pulled Aaron back down and kissed him hard, almost grinding their teeth together as he sped-up his motions. He stilled a moment later as his back bowed coming hard between their bodies. He felt it a moment later when Aaron came as well.

They continued kissing and touching for a while longer, then Aaron stood and grabbed a washcloth from the bathroom and came back to clean Spencer up. Once that was done Spencer felt him settle next to him and an arm was coming around him, holding him close.

“Tell me about the nightmare.” Spencer closed his eyes as he settled in Aaron’s arms, hating that he was enjoying the comfort. He cleared his throat as he laid a hand on Aaron’s stomach, softly stroking. 

“I was kidnapped on a case in Georgia,” he continued telling Aaron his story about being cuffed to a chair, dying and coming back to life. About the dilaudid and getting addicted. How Aaron had tried to help him, but he brushed the man off. How Gideon, his mentor, had abandoned him when he needed him the most. When he was done, he felt thin and wrung out. Closing his eyes he tried to fight back the memories that wanted to assault him once more.

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” Aaron said as he carded his fingers through Spencer’s hair soothing the younger man.

Spencer was more confused than before. He hadn’t meant to have sex with Aaron, but the nightmare and everything else had broken down his normally strong defenses.

“I’m surprised you care,” he said as he laid his head on Aaron’s chest.

“Believe it or not, I do. My Spencer is everything to me and I have a feeling that your Aaron feels the same. Why you two aren’t together by now seems to me that you are both afraid. Fear is a weakness and you, even after all you’ve been through are not weak. I’m not an evil man Spencer, I’m a hard man. I know what I want and I don’t let others stop me from getting what I want. If that makes me evil, then so be it. I have no desire to change. And, my Spencer doesn’t want me to change.” 

Spencer didn’t quite believe him. He knew there was a bit of a lie in there somewhere, he just wasn’t sure where. For the moment he just wanted to be held, he wanted the pain to stop, even if it was the wrong person, at least for now, he could make himself believe he was going to be okay.

“Do you think the nightmares will return if I cuff you again?” Aaron asked as he stroked Spencer’s hair.

“I don’t know. I think it was more the stress of the day than anything.”

“Give me your wrists.” Aaron’s tone didn’t broker any argument. Spencer sighed in resignation as he lifted up his wrists. This time the cuffs were attached individually and he had more freedom of movement. The were not clipped together like before. Seeing that he thought that maybe he could live with that. Pulling out of Aaron’s embrace he turned on his side and started to fall back to sleep. He’d worry about the rest in the morning.

* * *

Morning seemed to come too soon and the soft knock on the bedroom door woke him. He felt Aaron stirring and the arm pulling him close. Spencer closed his eyes and tried not to think of the night before and sex with Aaron. 

“Come in Jack.” Aaron said from his side of the bed. Spencer almost squawked at that. Not only was he still cuffed, but he was naked as well. When Jack bounded into the bedroom in his Star Wars pajamas, Spencer couldn’t help the smile. At least something was familiar. 

Jack jumped on the bed and threw his arms around Aaron who beamed that devastating smile and hugged his son close. Then Jack wiggled out of his father’s arms and hugged Spencer. He was startled at first, but then wrapped his arms around the boy and smiled himself. 

“Did you have a nightmare Papa?” Jack asked him as he pulled back and sat between the two men.

“Um, yes I did. How did you know?” The question was out of his mouth before he could stop himself and Aaron narrowed his eyes.

“Cause of the way your cuffs are. Dad only does that when you have a nightmare.”  
“Right, I forgot about that buddy.”

Jack looked down at Spencer, the sheet had slipped down and exposed his chest.

“Papa? Why do you look so different?”

Spencer’s eyes widened at Aaron and he didn’t know what to say. He thought that he’d be able to avoid this with Jack, but apparently, Aaron didn’t mind his son coming into the bedroom when they weren’t dressed. It should have shocked him, but it somehow didn’t.

“Come here Jack. I know how good you are at keeping secrets. Can you keep a really big secret buddy?” Aaron held the boy in his lap and pushed his too long hair out of his eyes.

“Yes. Daddy, what’s going on?” Jack looked between the two men.

“This Spencer, he isn’t our Spencer. Do you remember when Papa took you on that trip to CERN and you got to stand in the Hadron Collider?”

“Yes, it was so huge. And I got to hear Papa’s paper he presented on the Science of the Mind.”

Aaron smiled softly as he tucked the boy next to him, cuddling him close.

“Well, this man, he and another scientist did an experiment and it went wrong. This Spencer is from a different dimension. And our Spencer, I’m going to assume, is in his.”

“Dad! That’s like that old show Sliders.” Jack then turned to Spencer, “Are you really from someplace else?”

Spencer took a deep breath as he looked down at his wrists, “Yes Jack. I am and I’m going to try to get your Spencer back. I promise.”

“Daddy says never make a promise you can’t keep.” Jack frowned at him a moment. “I knew you were different. You didn’t come talk to me about my homework, or sit and watch Doctor Who, or even tuck me in bed. I’m not a dumb little kid.”

Spencer smiled a genuine smile, “No Jack, you are far from a dumb little kid. I have a Jack in my world. He’s only six though.”

“Are you his Papa too?”

Spencer’s heart lurched because until right then he hadn’t been sure he wanted to be anyone’s Papa. But Jack, even his Jack, had made him re-think everything. He knew then that he wanted to be Jack’s Papa, he wanted to love and mentor the boy. A tear leaked out and he quickly wiped it away. He didn’t know how much it hurt him that Aaron had kept Jack just out of his reach. He knew that this was something they were going to have to talk about when he got back.  
“Not yet, but I want to be and I hope he’s as amazing as you are.” Spencer was still trying to sort through his feelings when Jack scrambled onto his lap and hugged him tight.

“If he’s like me, he’ll love you.” Spencer closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around the boy and held him close trying to stem the emotions that threatened to break.

“Okay buddy, time to go get dressed. We have a science fair to go to.”

“Yay,” Jack practically yelled as he jumped off the bed and ran out the door, closing it behind him.

Spencer was in his head when he felt the cuffs come off. He looked-up into warm chocolate eyes and his heart hitched once again in his chest. When lips met his he lifted his hand and gentled his fingers over Aaron’s cheek.

“He’s very good at keeping secrets. He was bound to ask questions. It was better this way.”

Spencer glared at him, “You did that on purpose.”

Aaron quirked a brow, “Of course. Better to let him know now so he can understand and process than to let this go on and he finds out some other way.”

“I think you just wanted to rub it in that Aaron doesn’t trust me with Jack. I think you are still playing head games with me.” Spencer didn’t back down as Aaron chuckled and backed away. He stood and made his way into the bathroom without giving Spencer an answer.

When Aaron was done Spencer slid out of bed and went to take his own shower. He stood under the water for a long-time as he worked on shoring-up his defenses. He was so off-kilter and Aaron was keeping him off-kilter he didn’t know which leg to stand on, so to speak. When he got out he dried off and finished what he needed to do then went back into the room. Laid out on the bed was an obviously expensive pair of jeans, a dark purple polo shirt and a corduroy sport jacket in a deeper purple that went well with the polo shirt. He didn’t have to ask as Aaron was already dressed in casual trousers, button down shirt and his own sport jacket. Resigned, yet again, he went ahead and dressed in what was laid out for him. He was surprised at just how tight the jeans were.

“They make your ass look fantastic,” Aaron whispered in his ear. “I take it you do some kind of workout.”

“I, I started running, sometimes with Aaron. It helped, after what happened.” He slipped on the jacket and wondered about shoes.

“In your closet.” Aaron pointed out. Spencer moved to it but didn’t find any casual shoes. No Converse, no tennis shoes. What he found were dress shoes and loafers. There was a nice pair of polished black loafers that looked like they would be comfortable enough. Grabbing them and finding a pair of black socks, though he itched to grab two different ones, he played it safe.

“One last thing.” Aaron crooked his finger telling Spencer he wanted him near the cabinet. Aaron pulled out a different collar, this one a black thick triple chain. On it were small charms, mostly scientific symbols. He wondered just how many were in there. He was curious, but he wasn’t going to ask. Aaron switched out the collars and Spencer hadn’t processed the fact that he had gotten used to feeling it around his neck. That thought scared him as the heavy chain wrapped around him, the weight reminding him just where he was.

When they were finally done Aaron led them to the dining room where it was just Jack and JJ at the table.

“Everyone else is already out of the house. Dave did want me to give you this Aaron.” JJ handed over a note which Aaron looked at then handed it back to her. 

“Put it on the calendar.” Aaron didn’t elaborate and Spencer, though his curiosity was high, didn’t ask.

Breakfast didn’t take long and Spencer grabbed the satchel, he still hadn’t looked through it, but the comfort of it across his shoulder helped to calm him a little. They piled into Aaron’s Lexus and left. 

Spencer took note of the car and noticed the extra security as well as the bullet-proof windows. He wasn’t a stranger to this type of secure vehicle, most FBI SUV’s had what was in this car, but that was just the thing, this wasn’t an FBI vehicle. He filed that knowledge away wondering just how much outside danger he was in.

He listened to Jack talking about the fair and answered his questions. The boy was happy that Spencer knew many of the answers. They pulled-up to the convention center about a half-hour later with Aaron getting VIP parking. Spencer raised a brow but didn’t ask.

They piled out and Jack slipped between them, taking their hands in one of his. There was that little hitch in his heart again. Jack always stayed on the other side of Aaron when they went out together. Spencer’s thoughts started to turn dark as he looked down at the enthusiastic boy. Shaking his head he refused to let himself believe that Aaron was doing it on purpose. They hadn’t even really started and he considered that maybe Aaron was being cautious.

“Dr. Reid, we are so glad to see you. I’m sorry you won’t be speaking this year, but I’m sure you will be impressed by the work that has been done this year. I want to thank you personally for the foundation grant that you gave to The Einstein School for the Sciences. If it wasn’t for your very generous donation, yet again, this wouldn’t be possible.” Spencer was stunned for a moment. 

“It’s okay we all know you don’t like to shake hands. I do hope you enjoy and here is your packet. Please, let us know by the end of the day who you are going to nominate for the scholarships.” 

“Thank you Matteo. We’ll just wander and Dr. Reid will give you his nominations before we leave today.”

“Um yes, thank you. I’ll be sure to make my decisions carefully.” He tried to smile charmingly and when Matteo smiled back, he knew he succeeded.

The three of them moved off and started to walk through the fair. Spencer was looking through the packet and Jack had hooked his fingers in Spencer belt loop. He unconsciously let his hand fall on Jack’s head and lightly scratched. Jack pressed into him and he didn’t know what to think. Spencer focused on the papers he was given, some were ones he needed to sign to finalize the initial grant money. He had a odd thought and wondered if it would be considered forgery, chuckling at himself he set that thought aside, slipped the packet into his satchel and paid attention to what was happening at the fair.

Spencer was impressed by not only the creativity, but the intelligence of the kids presenting as well. He was also happy to see Jack take such an interest in science as well. While they walked through Spencer stopped at several booths to ask questions to get a better sense of the kids and teens participating. He noted everything in his head as he walked through the exhibits looking for, well he didn’t know exactly what he was looking for but knew he would eventually find it.

“Dr. Reid, Dr. Reid,” Spencer heard his name being called. He turned around to try to see where the voice was coming from. When his eyes finally settled on the person he gasped in shock. This couldn’t be Charlie, the man was a mess. His hair was dishevelled as was his clothing. This wasn’t the same Charlie that he had befriended and competed with over his years at CalTech.

“Charlie Epps?” Spencer asked cautiously.

“You, you know me? I know you well I know of you I was at your Ted Talks which was great and I’ve always wanted to meet you but it never happened and well things just went crazy and I guess I never got a chance to meet you because all my invites got returned and you never even said why…” Charlie’s hands were never still and his eyes looked a little manic.

“Dr. Epps, calm down. I’m sure there is a good reason. I get invites to a lot of events.”

“Right right right I bet I’m sure I mean I’m just a teacher and you you you have done so much for science…”

“Dr. Epps,” Aaron used his hard Dom voice and it pulled the mathematician up short. Aaron raised a brow at the man. “Kneel.” Aaron said as he kept his eyes on Charlie. The man dropped to his knees right there in the middle of the fair and not one person was even wondering about it. “Don’t speak.” Aaron moved up to him and grabbed his too wild hair. “Where is your Dom?”  
Charlie’s eyes filled and Spencer wondered about that.

“Dead all dead gone gone gone, everyone gone.”

Spencer frowned and got down on one knee.

 

“Dr. Epps, what happened?” It was slow going because of the fractured mind of Charlie but Spencer was patient and stayed calm. When he got the whole story he was almost sick. Aaron saw his face go pale and knew there would be questions.

“Aaron I think we should leave.” Spencer stood on shaky legs and waited for Aaron.

“I think so too.” Aaron turned to Charlie once again, “Stand, follow us and don’t say a word. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Charlie’s hands twisted together in nervous anticipation as he stood. Aaron made their goodbyes known and told Matteo that Spencer would send him an e-mail about his choices and that something came-up and they needed to leave.

Jack was confused and a little disappointed but he always knew his father did everything with a purpose. 

Spencer wasn’t looking forward to the conversation he knew Aaron was going to press him for. He wasn’t even sure what to feel and by the time they got to the car Spencer had a raging migraine. He knew the day wasn’t going to get any better.


	4. Chapter Four

#  _Mirror World_

On the ride back to the mansion, Charlie leaned into Spencer’s side and held on. Spencer allowed it and he could see that it irked Aaron for some reason. When their eyes met in the rearview mirror Spencer just raised a brow in defiance. He didn’t care what happened to him, he just wanted to protect Charlie. He had no idea what Aaron’s plans were but he was determined to help the man. Charlie was a good friend in his world, it broke his heart to see him so broken in this world.

After they parked, Aaron opened Charlie’s side of the car and barked out an order for him to get out.

“Don’t you think you are being a little harsh Aaron?” Spencer glared at the man as he got out and moved to stand on the other side of Charlie.

“He’s a sub who has gone into severe drop. He needs some level of balance and I mean to give it to him, at least till he’s more coherent. Do you have an issue with that?” Aaron glared back. The staring contest went on for several minutes as the two men were in a silent battle of wills. It was finally Jack who broke it.

“Dad, can we go inside now?” 

Aaron turned to look at the boy and smiled, “Of course. Come on, it’s time for lunch anyway.” He turned to Charlie and looked at him like he was assessing him.

“We’ll set you up in a room. I have some extra clothes  you can borrow. Once inside, you will take a shower, dress and join us for lunch. Do you understand Dr. Epps?”

“Yes.” Spencer could see that Charlie was nervous as the man stuck to his side. Aaron made a head gesture toward Charlie and it took a moment for Spencer to understand what he wanted. Charlie needed some reassurance.

“Hey, Charlie, it will be okay, I promise. And I think a shower and food will do you some good. Okay?”

“Okay, okay.” Charlie was twisting his hands but Spencer saw him start to visibly relax. 

“Jack go get ready for lunch. I think Andre is making your favorite ravioli.” Aaron couldn’t help the smile as Jack jumped up and down. “We will meet you in the dining room in a bit.”

“Okay Dad.” Jack looked like he was going to run off, but Spencer saw him catch himself as he stopped and then walked really fast. He couldn’t help the little chuckle as he watched the enthusiastic boy. Everything about Jack made him ache and it made him angry inside that his world’s Aaron kept the boy away from him. He didn’t think the man did it on purpose, but he knew subconsciously that Aaron knew what he was doing. It hurt and made him question whether his Aaron was actually all in. 

“Come,” Aaron said to the two men behind him. He led them through the house to a room that was just on the other side of Aaron and Spencer’s.

“This room is for play partners. I’m sure, Spencer, that you will be able to sort through the clothes that have been left over the years that will fit Dr. Epps. I leave his care to you. I’ll give you an hour to meet us in the dining room. Don’t be late.” Aaron turned on his heel and walked out. Spencer couldn’t quite understand the harsh attitude that Aaron had been projecting. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to know. At the moment, though, he wanted to get Charlie set to rights.

“Why don’t you lie down for a few minutes and I’ll see what’s in here that may fit you, okay?”

Charlie only shook his head as he made his way to the bed and curled up on top of the covers.

Spencer got to work looking through the closet and drawers. He found several items that looked like they would fit Charlie. Mostly jeans, t-shirts and a few button downs. Spencer gathered the clothes and set them towards the front of the closet and would have Charlie try them on later.

After sorting through the clothes Spencer got his friend up and into the shower. Once done he grabbed a pair of jeans and a button down that looked like it would fit. Spencer didn’t trust the underwear left behind, so he told Charlie he would have to go commando for the interim. The man looked horrified for a moment, but slipped the clothes on anyway. Thankfully they fit, even if slightly loose. Spencer found a belt and helped Charlie with it. By the time they walked into the dining room, they had minutes to spare.

“Glad to see you both are early. I don’t want to talk about what happened at the table, so we will sit and have a pleasant lunch, then after I want the whole story.”

“And I’d like to know exactly what crawled up your ass.” The words were out of Spencer’s mouth before he realized just what he said. He wasn’t going to take them back as he raised a brow in challenge.

Aaron growled as he gave Spencer a harsh look. Spencer could just make out the fists the man was making under the table trying to keep himself under control.

“Fine. We will lay all cards on the table, so to speak, but not here and not now.” Aaron took a deep breath to control himself as his food was set in front of him.

As they were eating, conversation was tense and stilted. It was during a particularly tense moment that Derek happened to come into the room. Spencer saw him look over at Charlie and smile.

“Well, who’s mister dark and gorgeous?” Derek strode over to the side of the table where Spencer and Charlie were sitting and sprawled out in a chair.

“This is Dr. Charlie Epps. Mathematician and Physicist. We met at the fair and invited him back to the house. Aaron is indulging me on a project.” The partial lie rolled off Spencer’s tongue way too easy for his taste. He had vowed after getting his mother settled to never lie anymore. It was more a matter of how mentally exhausting it was. He hated being lied to, and after Georgia he had made a vow to never lie to those he cared about again.

“And whatever Spencer wants,” Derek smirked as he swung his gaze over at Aaron.

“Spencer always gets.” Aaron smiled indulgently over at Spencer to keep up the show.

Derek leaned toward Charlie and laid two finger under his chin and turned his face towards him. A soft smile formed as he studied the younger man. Charlie didn’t flinch away so Derek boldly stroked his cheek.

“You are gorgeous.” Spencer felt like Derek was about to lean in and kiss the younger man.

“Derek,” Spencer said sharply and glared at the man.

“Hey man, don’t be like that. Just appreciating, that’s all.” Derek leaned back with his hands up.

Charlie was silent during the whole exchange.

“It, it, it’s okay Dr. Reid. Fine, I’m fine.” Charlie nodded his head and gave a shy smile to Derek. “Tha-tha-thank you, thank you.” Charlie’s hands were twisting together under the table as he looked down at his plate not meeting Derek’s look. He kept mumbling under his breath which made Derek’s brows raise as he looked concerned for the young man.

“What’s wrong with him?” 

“He lost his Dom and all of his friends in a bombing at the school he was teaching at.” Aaron narrowed his eyes at Spencer as he explained a little of what was going on.

“We aren’t talking about this at the table. Now, Jack are you finished?”

“Yes Dad.” Jack had been quiet through the meal and Aaron knew the reason. He very well couldn’t talk to him about it at the moment, but he leaned in and whispered to his son that they would discuss what happened at the fair later.

“Now, why don’t you go play some video games, you’ve earned time on the Atari or the Sega, whichever you want. Maybe Derek will come join you later.”

“Thanks Dad,” Jack got down and kissed his father on his cheek then did the same with Spencer and walked off towards another room.

“Let’s go to my study where we can discuss this situation more thoroughly, alright?” Aaron stood abruptly and strode towards another part of the mansion. Spencer, Charlie and Derek followed behind.

Once settled in the study Aaron turned to Spencer.

“Okay, tell me again what exactly happened.”

Spencer let his eyes linger a moment on Charlie before he turned to Aaron.

“From what I can understand a man named Adrian Bale threatened the science department at CalSci in Southern California. He had been kicked out of the Physics department when he became a little too interested in explosives. It was more because he developed an unhealthy obsession with said explosives.

“The FBI was called out on the threat after Bale had set off several smaller attacks around the city. The team that the local LA office asked for was the BAU. Charlie had been out of the office working on another project. Bale had taken the Math department as well as a few other scientists hostage. Charlie had worked out the statistical probability that Bale would detonate the bomb and told the Agent-in-Charge, Jason Gideon, that he thought that no matter what, Bale would detonate. Charlie had come-up with this based off the other bombings.

“Gideon chose to ignore his warnings and calculations when negotiations started to fail. He sent in a squad of SWAT and FBI agents into the school. Bale, had come outside and everyone thought it was safe. As soon as SWAT went inside, Bale detonated the explosives. Charlie’s partner and Dom, Colby Granger, his brother Don Epps, his colleagues Amita and Larry as well as his boss Millie, they were all killed in the bombing.”

Spencer saw Aaron’s face darken with anger and didn’t understand why he was so angry.

“Oh man, no wonder he’s so screwed-up. Poor kid.” Derek kept his eyes on Charlie while Spencer told his story and saw the man trembling. Derek went to go to him but Aaron stayed his hand.

“He’s been suffering from subdrop Derek. We need to get him evened out, if that’s remotely possible. Why don’t you go see if Jack wants to play some video games with you.” Derek shrugged his shoulders as he stood. 

“He’ll be alright?”

“Hopefully.”

“Let me know.” Derek smiled over at Charlie before leaving the room.

“Will you now tell me what the hell you are so pissed off about?”

“Gideon tried to take my Spencer away from me. Tried to lie to him about my faithfulness and other aspects of our relationship. The man is manipulative and dangerous.”

Spencer sighed and thought about his Gideon. The thing he couldn’t deny was that he could see his mentor doing that. Especially if he saw Spencer in an unhealthy relationship. Though it would have been subtler. Spencer knew Gideon’s guilt over what happened in Georgia, but it didn’t make Spencer any less angry at him for leaving him like he had. He was thankful that Aaron had been the one to step-up. 

“Okay, but why are you trying to take my head-off? What did I do?”

Aaron deflated as he pushed back from his desk and looked between Spencer and Charlie.

“Nothing, you didn’t do anything. I know it isn’t your fault but I am quite unreasonable when it comes to Jason Gideon. Now, though I don’t want to talk about that or him. Right now what we need to do is get you, Dr. Epps, in a better frame of mind.” Aaron stood and walked around his desk then stood in front of the young man.

“Stand-up and take off your shirt.” Spencer saw Charlie visibly swallow then do as Aaron ordered. “Turn.” Charlie turned and Spencer sucked in a breath. His back was full of faint scarring. “You like pain?”

“Yes,” Charlie almost sobbed. He arched his back as if he expected to be touched.

“I am not going to touch you, but I can help you other ways. Do you agree?”

“Yes oh god please please please. I’ll do whatever, ever, ever you you you want. Whatever you want.” Charlie was trembling as he stood there, anticipating.

Spencer would never understand why he suggested what he did, even a long-time later when he would reflect back on this moment he wouldn’t understand, but the next words out of his mouth intrigued even Aaron.

“Aaron, maybe,” Spencer bit his lip as he looked up at the man who was in full Dom mode. “Maybe Derek, you know, wants him? Maybe Charlie is what Derek has been looking for. Someone to care for, to help fix, to have someone he can tell them what to do. He’s already attracted to Charlie.”

Aaron swung his gaze over at Spencer and looked at him for several long minutes as if he was trying to find the deception in his statements. Finally, though he smiled and left, with orders for Spencer to take Charlie back to the bedroom.

After a couple of minutes they were met there by Derek and Aaron.

“Go on Derek. Remember, he’s a masochist.” Derek walked over to Charlie who was standing there in anticipation. He slipped his hand in the younger man’s unruly hair and gripped tight and pulled, hard. Charlie’s eyes glazed over as his body trembled. Derek slid a hand up his chest scraping his nails across as he went.

“I want you, Charlie. I will be so good to you baby,” Derek slid his hand down and palmed his cock, Charlie almost sagged against Derek. “Do you want me?”

Charlie looked-up and there were tears in his eyes as he looked at Derek, “Yes, you you remind me a little of Colby, I like you. Please.” Charlie whined.

Aaron stepped up to them and laid a hand on Derek’s shoulder, “First thing’s first. You need centering. Spencer, go open that cabinet in the corner.” Aaron held out a key and Spencer took it. When he opened it, he saw that it was similar to the one in Aaron’s bedroom.

“Come here, both of you.” Derek let go of Charlie, but then wrapped an arm around the man’s waist and guided him to the cabinet. “Everything in here has been cleaned and sterilized. You, need a new collar. Derek, choose.”

Derek let Charlie go for a moment and looked over the items hanging there. He picked-out a burgundy red suede collar with three rings on it. He slipped it around Charlie’s neck who sighed. Looking at Derek he smiled.

“Thank you.” 

Derek also noticed he had nipple piercings. In the cabinet was a variety of rings and bars, all still in their sterile boxes. He looked through them and chose a pair of burgundy bars that had a half-circle. Aaron nodded as he put them on Charlie. Derek also noticed the young man had ear piercings, but he would handle that later. Next, he found the matching wrist cuffs and put them on Charlie as well. Last was the cock cage in the same sturdy burgundy suede.

When he was done Aaron ordered all three men to follow him down to the main playroom. He ordered Spencer into one of the large chairs in the corner, and Derek in front of Charlie after he was restrained on the bondage rack in the middle of the room. Aaron slowly worked, testing, pushing, increasing the pain as they went. He had ordered Derek to touch Charlie as much as he wanted to. This would help to begin the imprinting process for the two men.

Spencer watched with both horror and fascination. When at one point Derek had dropped to his knees and was deep-throating Charlie while Aaron was using the whip, he couldn’t help the erection he got. Part of him wanted to strip and take care of himself while he watched, but he knew that Aaron would get furious with him. The other part of himself was completely horrified that he was so aroused watching the scene being played out in front of him.

He was so lost in his head that he didn’t feel Aaron coming up to him and only came back to himself when he felt rough hands in his hair.

“Strip.” Aaron ordered. Spencer was about to tell him to go fuck off when he saw the look on his face. “Strip,” Aaron growled and this time Spencer obeyed. Aaron sat in the chair after he had stripped himself. Then he pulled Spencer down onto him but he was positioned where he could still watch.

“See them Spencer. Beautiful aren’t they? Watch Derek Dom your friend. Watch the way he uses the whip, they way Charlie bows his body into it. Hear the cries and the moans as he begs for more.” Spencer’s breathing was shallow as his cock filled even more. Aaron’s voice in his ear practically dripped with sex.

“He’s good, I trained him myself. The man was a mess when I found him, little more than a teen. Father dead, Mother working all the time and he was getting into all kinds of trouble.” Aaron continued speaking low in Spencer’s ear as he stroked him. His own hardness was between Spencer’s ass cheeks. “I took him in, gave him a job, mentored him. But you know what bound him to me?” Aaron was thrusting his slick cock between Spencer’s ass, but not penetrating him. His hand was stroking Spencer’s achingly hard cock.

“Wh-what?” Spencer was trembling at what Aaron was doing. He wanted to protest, didn’t want this man’s hands over him but dammit his body was betraying him. He couldn’t deny how good it felt and damn him if he didn’t want more.

“His cousin was stalked and kidnapped. It took some time, but you and my people found her. A very, very bad man had convinced her to sign a slave contract and told her that he would kill her family if she tried to leave him. I, personally, dealt with this man with Derek watching. I saved her from the hell she had been in. Then I ruined the rest of the men that had been in that same circle. My Pet happily helped. He is quite the genius with a knife.” Aaron licked up the side of Spencer’s face and he stroked faster, touching, pinching painfully Spencer cried out but ground down against Aaron’s cock.

Spencer couldn’t take his eyes off Derek as he took-up where Aaron had left off. He could see Charlie’s hard, aching cock that was leaking. He heard Derek order Charlie to come and the man screamed out as he came without even being touched.

“Oh fuck, oh god,” Spencer cried out as he pistoned his hips seeking relief from what Aaron was doing to him.

“Don’t come.” The harsh command in Spencer’s ear made him whine. Aaron squeezed his cock hard which made Spencer scream. Nails scraped down his side, teeth bit at his neck and shoulders, a hand smacked him every so often and god help him if his cock didn’t get even harder.

“Are you with me Charlie?” Spencer heard Derek say as he gripped Charlie’s hair and the glazed look in his eyes and smile had Spencer wondering where his friend had slipped to. Derek threw the flogger aside as he stepped behind Charlie. Gripping his ass he pulled the younger man’s cheeks apart. Moaning, he grabbed the tube of lube that had been set on the small shelf on the rack. He slicked-up his cock, then thrust a slick finger inside Charlie, lubing him up. 

“Look at them Spencer, don’t turn away, see how beautiful they are?” Aaron had a hand wrapped around Spencer’s chin holding his head so that he was watching what was happening. Aaron thrust hard against him and he whined as the hand on his cock was relentless.

Derek was thrusting inside Charlie, hands gripped tight around his waist. His breath was short as he fucked into the young man over and over. 

“He’s going to come Spencer, do you want to come?” Aaron growled as he continued his thrusts against his ass.

“Yes, please, please Aaron.” Spencer couldn’t help the whine in his voice and when he saw Derek gripping Charlie’s cock and started to pump and heard the groan as he stilled, then the order for Charlie to come again. Spencer thought he was going to explode.

“Then come, now Spencer.” Spencer screamed as he thrust up in Aaron’s hand and came. He slumped against the man and felt the wetness and knew Aaron had also found his release. As he watched Derek carefully and almost lovingly remove Charlie from the rack, then half-carried him up the stairs he wasn’t sure why he was crying.

* * *

#  _Our World_

The sound of a phone ringing woke Spencer up. He shifted under the weight on him and sighed in happiness. He must have been a really good boy. Aaron's hands were wrapped tight around his wrists as they were tucked underneath both of their weights. He knew that Aaron would wake in a few seconds, he always did when the phone rang. It spoke to what they did the night before that he wasn't awake already.

One hand let go of him and moved towards the noisy phone. Aaron’s head turned towards the phone and he heard the beep of the call connecting.

"Hotchner," Aaron said in a very sleep roughened voice. It sent a shiver down Spencer's back. He had been a very good boy. "Jack?"

Spencer's eyes shot open. He looked at the spot where the bedroom door should be only to find that he wasn't in the bedroom. He wasn't in HIS bedroom. Then the reality of it all came crashing down on him. This wasn't his Aaron. He took a few deep breaths as Aaron shifted off of him. He had to have slept pretty damned deep for him to forget that. He hadn't expected to sleep like that in this reality. Especially so quickly.

"Yes, I had a good night. How about you?" Aaron smiled at him as he settled onto his side, looking at Spencer. He tucked the phone into the ear that was settled on the bed before he reached out and cupped the side of Spencer's face. His thumb brushed over Spencer's lips and he smiled even bigger at him. Spencer leaned in to place a kiss on his lips and that was when he realized that he'd fallen asleep in the wet spot and with Aaron's own release over his back. His face wrinkled in disgust at the feeling. He pushed himself up and started towards the bathroom. He turned the water on for a shower and looked at his face. He looked down at the materials on the counter and realized that this Spencer shaved. There was no way to hide that from Aaron. So he shut the door and set about acting like he going through a morning routine. He wondered if the other Spencer was going to come back with his hair or not. He looked at himself in the mirror and tried to remember what it was like to shave. Aaron had offered to pay for the hair removal before he'd really got used to it. He'd always like the feel though of Aaron's short trimmed hair on his thighs when the man tried to drive him nuts and beg even more. 

A knock on the door startled him and he grabbed a hand towel, starting to wipe at his cheeks as he opened the door. 

"Jack wants to do breakfast out and wants to know if you want to come."

"Sure. I can be ready in about fifteen minutes then you can have the shower." 

Aaron smiled at him and nodded before he pulled the door shut. Spencer moved to the shower to hurry and clean himself off. He washed off thoroughly but quickly. Styling his hair didn't take long. Once he was done in the bathroom, he moved to the bedroom and to the closet. The sound of a half swallowed choke had him turning. Aaron was standing there with a go bag in his hand, looking at Spencer. Spencer looked down at himself, trying to figure out exactly what had shocked the older man into sounding like he was dying. 

"Sorry, I guess I figured that you would have a robe or something on."

It was his nakedness. Aaron hadn't expected him to be naked. He only used a robe or a kimono when they were moving to and from the playroom. There were rare occasions where he wore one when he had clothes on but that was mainly when he was sick and since that was rare, he never even thought of it. 

"We've had sex, why would I cover up? You've seen all of me." 

"I guess that I just...I thought that you'd be more..."

"Prudish? I knew you were here, it's not like you walked in on me and surprised me. When we are out in the field, it doesn't make sense to strut about naked. But why should I cover up in my own bedroom?"

"No reason," Aaron said quickly, holding his hands out in a placating manner. Aaron was dressed in one of his under shirts and his underwear from the night before. Covering up his scars. That was something that was striking between the Aaron's. His Aaron would have never felt ashamed. He owned the scars from his father, seeing them as a right of passage. Spencer wondered what it would take to get this Aaron to own his scars. These thoughts quickly went through his mind as Aaron slipped into the bathroom with a quick kiss to Spencer's cheek. 

Spencer dressed in one of the casual outfits he'd bought the day before. Dark brown slacks and a lilac button up. He left the tie off and matched the ensemble with a pair of green Converse. He eyed himself in the mirror on the back of the door for the bedroom. He looked damned good. He forwent glasses and hoped Aaron didn't notice that he didn't have contacts in. 

The shower shut off and Spencer got an idea. He met Aaron outside the shower with a towel. Thankfully the towels were soft and fluffy. He grabbed a smaller hand towel from the closet to dry Aaron's hair before he set about drying the rest of his body. He had a second hand towel on the counter and laid it down so his knees wouldn't get wet. He dried off Aaron's torso and back before dropping to his knees to dry off Aaron's legs. He stayed away from his cock and balls, drying everything else before laying the towel across his lap and folding it long ways. He then wrapped it around Aaron's back and gripped each end tight, keeping the other man close. There was a drop of water hanging right on the tip of Aaron's flaccid cock.

Spencer leaned in and licked the drop before taking the soft member in his mouth. He watched Aaron's face as he worked him to full hardness. As soon as Aaron's hands went for his hair, Spencer pulled off.

"Touch my hair and I stop." Spencer gave him the glare he'd perfected under years of his lover. Aaron directed his hands to the counter behind him, turning a little so he was comfortable. He shifted around to face him fully but he kept kept ahold of the towel, keeping Aaron where he wanted him. 

Aaron was fully hard so when Spencer took him in his mouth again, he took him all the way in. He had no gag reflex, never had. Aaron gasped as his cock was surrounded by his mouth and then the head by his throat. It didn't take long at all for Aaron to come down his throat. Spencer swallowed every single drop and made sure his cock was clean before he pulled off. 

Spencer stood up, dragging the towel up to pull the older man into a kiss. Aaron's hands settled on his hips, keeping him right there. He felt the hand move but before he could stop it, it was covering his sex. Which was soft. Spencer pulled hand away and smiled into the kiss. "I'm good. I just wanted your cock."

"Spencer," Aaron said before kissing him again. "I want to change your mind but Jack is expecting us."

"I'm perfectly fine, Aaron. I'll go to the kitchen to let you get dressed." Spencer kissed the side of his mouth before turning and leaving. He picked up the two hand towels and the big one and tossed them in the hamper as he went. In the main area of the apartment, he smelled coffee, he followed it to the maker and was happy to see Aaron had made the good kind and not the can of Maxwell House, that Spencer assumed his counterpart used for guests. Pouring himself a cup, he added what he wanted and nearly drained the cup in one go. He found a cabinet of reusable travel mugs of various whimsical science themes and picked one, preparing it before making himself a second mug to drink while Aaron dressed. 

The tell tale ring of his phone sounded and he sighed as he pulled it out. He was thankful Aaron wasn't in the room at the moment. He had to make sure he did nothing to cast doubt on who he was and there was no way that he could talk to Charlie Epps and the man not realize that he wasn't the right one. He had to trust in the other Spencer and his Aaron to do whatever it took to get him back. Silencing the ringer but not sending it to voicemail, Spencer slipped his phone in his pocket. 

Aaron came out seconds later, dressed in khakis and a red pullover. He looked very good. This Aaron surprised him but then he figured that given that the core of most Aaron's the universes wide, were the epitome of maleness, he just needed to push a little to get the Aaron he wanted out of him. He'd have to wait until they went to work to figure out if Aaron dressed like a G-Man on a daily basis. He was looking forward to that. 

Taking a sip of his coffee, Spencer watched as Aaron's eyes raked up and down his body. He hid his smile in his cup, taking a longer sip than he normally would to fully mask it. He saw the affection from the older man in his eyes mixed with a healthy dose of appreciation. Aaron grabbed his own coffee cup from the counter and took a drink. Spencer eyed what he had left and decided to just drain it before washing out the mug. Aaron finished his off and stepped up to wash his but Spencer grabbed it and did it for him. He was rewarded with a kiss on the back of his neck, just under the fringe of his hair. 

"We better get going," Aaron said, his breath ghosting over Spencer's skin. Spencer nodded and dried his hands off. He moved easily towards the living room, finding his messenger bag and slipping it on. He still hadn't got a chance to fully go through it but he did do a cursory check. His wallet was still in there as well as his credentials. He wondered exactly where his gun was but the rough timeline he had for the night was that he'd gone from work to where the accident had taken place so that meant it was probably locked in a case in his trunk. Which was probably where his holster was as well. He debated asking if he needed it but stopped. Aaron wasn't wearing one and this Spencer seemed such an academic that while he was probably pretty good with the gun, he wouldn't carry it around outside of the job. 

"I'm ready," Spencer proclaimed as he pulled his hands from his bag and looked up at Aaron. Aaron smiled at him and they moved out of the apartment. Spencer locked up and smiled as Aaron wrapped an arm around his shoulders holding him close. He laid his head on Aaron's shoulder as they started down the stairs. Aaron held open the passenger side door on the car as he neared it. He smiled as he sat down. There was little to do as Aaron moved around the car to get into the other side. 

The drive to Jessica's apartment complex was short, given DC traffic and Spencer used it to see what was different about the two versions of the city in his head. On the outside there were very few and that intrigued him. He saw a shop here and there but for the whole it was all the same. The only thing that was hugely different was him but no one knew that. No one but him. 

The car stopping drew Spencer out of his mind and onto Aaron as he got out of the car. 

"I'll be right back."

Spencer watched Aaron as he moved into the building. They were parked in the loading/unloading zone and the man had left the car running for that reason. There was no person sitting inside the building making visitors check in and out. Spencer wondered how Aaron trusted his son in the building. After what had happened to cause him to lose his ex-wife. He thought that Aaron would be a lot more strict on where his son went, but it seemed that he wasn't as jaded as his own Aaron. Of course, both him and his Aaron had seen the worst of life before finding each other.

Minutes later, Jack appeared in the doorway with his father behind him. The boy had a backpack on his shoulders. When it was taken off to throw into the backseat before the boy was strapped in, Spencer saw that it was a Captain America backpack. Spencer kind of snorted at that one. His Jack's favorite superhero wasn't Captain America. It was Iron Man for Marvel and Batman for DC. Batman because he reminded him of his Dad and Iron Man for his Papa. Spencer didn't mind being equated with Iron Man. His Aaron felt pride on the Batman front even if the boy didn't know that unlike the Caped Crusader, Aaron did kill people if needed. 

"Hello, Jack," Spencer said as he turned in his seat to look at the boy. Jack gave him a weak smile and waved at him. Spencer kept his face neutral as that reaction started his stomach churning. He wasn't liking this at all. Not at all. Given the love declaration, Spencer expected the other version of him to be on really good terms with Jack, but it seemed that he was wrong. He turned back in his seat as Aaron got in the driver's seat again and after a minute they were pulling into traffic again. 

"Did you sleep well last night Jack?" Spencer asked. 

There was no sound from the backseat so Spencer turned back to look and saw that Jack was nodding. Spencer turned back to look out the windshield and pursed his lips. He wondered exactly why there were issues between him and Jack. He'd have to give it time to figure it out. 

The diner they pulled into the parking lot of was one that had Spencer smiling. While he and his family didn't get to eat there as much as he liked, Aaron always made sure they went a few times a year, especially when something really good happened. Once the car was parked and the engine off, Spencer unbuckled his belt. He heard two more follow as he opened his door. Aaron helped hold Jack's door and the boy walked in front of his father into the diner, with Spencer bringing up the rear. The sign for seating themselves was turned around and so Aaron turned towards a corner booth area. It was a rounded booth and Spencer took a seat when Aaron waved him in. Spencer expected Jack to slide in next but instead it was Aaron and Jack followed, taking a seat farthest from Spencer. 

No words had been spoken. No motions made. Aaron had chosen to put Jack on the side away from Spencer. That told him all that he needed to know about why Jack was unsure and shy around him. Aaron was the block in the middle. While he knew that it wasn't his place, Spencer didn't care. Jack was being hurt in this. Aaron's actions were making it seem like Aaron didn't want him to get to be friendly with Spencer, which meant that Jack wasn't sure what he was allowed to do and wasn't allowed to do. 

A glance at the menu set down in front of him by Aaron told him that his favorite meal was still here. He set the menu back in the holder in the center of the table and started to work on a plan. He was already fucking up the other Spencer's life. Robbing him of the memories of a first time with his Aaron but he had to protect himself, he wasn't going to feel bad about that. But if Aaron was going to keep Jack at an arm's length, he knew that the relationship was going to fail. Spencer knew that he was strong enough to survive Aaron leaving him. He'd have to document everything that happened if Aaron decided that he didn't like Spencer trying to bond with his son. It was the only thing he could do if he sabotaged the relationship before it ever really started with Aaron. He couldn't survive with no Jack though. He missed his son almost more than he missed Aaron. Aaron and Jack were his world.

"Did you do anything fun in school this week, Jack?" Spencer asked as the waitress left after taking their drink orders. Aaron was still looking at the menu. 

"No," Jack said. His hands were in his lap and he was looking around the diner. He could tell by his eyes, though that he'd been in the diner a great deal. That meant that he was upset. No one looked around a place they had been in a great deal with so much intensity unless they were trying to distract themselves. Spencer sighed as he leaned back. The relationship could be salvaged but Spencer would have to work at it. 

When the waitress came back, Aaron ordered for him and Jack and then turned to nod at Spencer. Smiling, Spencer ordered his normal meal. When the waitress left, Spencer set a little plan in motion. He grabbed the carafe and refilled his coffee while Aaron talked to Jack about the social studies test he had on Friday. Spencer was more than willing to keep silent as he listened and watched the father/son pair, figuring out the dynamics between them. Jack was animated when he was talking to his father about things he did at school during the week, what he liked and what he didn't. There were barely glances made his way. How did the other Spener deal with that? How did he sit on the sidelines while a man he obviously loved shut him out of the life of his son? A boy that would become his step-son if things got serious? Or did Aaron think that it would never come to that? Did he think that his job would keep him from having to make that step? Was he going to use that to keep Spencer on the outside? So that no one would see him in a relationship with a underling much less a male underling? 

"I don't know," Aaron said and it drew Spencer back. He replayed the conversation in his head as he'd only been listening to keep track but hadn't been actively thinking on it. "Spencer?"

"Well the best way is to do an experiment," Spencer said. He had the answer that Jack wanted to the science question but this was another way to get the boy interested in him. "I could tell you the answer but you'd probably forget it. But there is a simple experiment that we could do in your kitchen that would give you the answer. And it would be fun because it would make a mess and then you'd be able to remember it easier."

"Why?" Jack asked.

"You play soccer." Spencer didn't try and model that as a question. "When your coach or your father tell you about moves, and even shows them to you. Do you remember them that well? Or do you do better when they walk you through them?" Spencer asked. 

"When we do them together and they walk me through them."

"It's the same reasoning. It makes it into a longer, happier, better memory and your mind is more apt to hold onto it." Spencer smiled at the boy as the plates of food were carried to them. Spencer kept his smirk to himself. Jack's was set down first with Aaron's and then his. He looked at his plate and put on a frown.

"Is everything alright?" The waitress asked.

"I forgot to tell you bacon instead of sausage," Spencer said. He quickly looked at Jack and saw the boy eyeing the meat as Spencer speared it with his fork. 

"Can..." Jack stopped talking when the waitress and Spencer both looked at him. 

"What, Jack?" Spencer asked, before Aaron could say anything. 

"Can I have your sausage, Spencer?" Jack asked. 

"Of course." Spencer leaned over and shook the fork, the sausage dropping onto the plate. Jack smiled at him. "I'll need an order of bacon please."

"Of course. I'll have that right out to you." The waitress smiled back him, her eyes twinkling. Aaron didn't say a thing as the waitress walked away but there was a frown on his face. Spencer ignored that frown and instead watched as Jack carefully spread butter on the top of his pancake before picking up the little ramekin that had syrup in it.  He poured the syrup over his pancakes and Spencer smiled to himself when he watched as the final bits of syrup went over his sausage. Exactly like his Jack ate his sausage. 

Spencer started to work on his food then. Aaron was tucking into his food, almost like he was put out that Spencer had given Jack his sausage. He could have spoke up and told Jack no and thanked Spencer for the kindness but he hadn't. Spencer wondered if it was just to not tell Jack no or if it had just shocked him that much he hadn't had a chance. Spencer felt no shame and definitely no guilt in it. Jack was watching Spencer though, very closely and he wasn’t that shocked when after Spencer added pepper to his hash browns, Jack asked his father for the pepper. Aaron though only added salt to his and Spencer had to hold back the frown. He was glad that Jack didn't copy his father in that aspect. The sausage on Jack's plate and the bacon on his own had enough salt for the meal. Aaron's breakfast had both meats and Spencer was shocked that he'd even added any more to any of his food. Spencer had french toast with his meal and was very careful to not get syrup anywhere. Jack watched him as he ate his entire meal. 

Jack's wide eyedness when it came to him told Spencer that while Jack might know Spencer, he hadn't interacted with him much outside of his own home. That would explain the uneasiness of the boy in a social setting with him. There were definite ways that one acted in one's own home and when out in public. William Reid had been strict on that growing up and Spencer remembered it well. Even in adulthood there were things that Aaron and Spencer never did out in public. And there were things that they only did in public. Sides of their lives that were false for the public eye. While they were affectionate at work, it was mostly for their co workers. Public displays of affection had been something that Spencer had had to learn to like. It was needed, so he learned. 

And now here he was out with his lover and his lover's son and Aaron hadn't touched him once. 

Conversation was stilted over the meal but after the waitress took away their plates and brought a new carafe of coffee, it resumed.

"That movie that you have been wanting to see is out in theaters. Do you want to go and see it this afternoon? Maybe after we drop Spencer off back at his place?" Aaron asked Jack.

Spencer kept his mouth closed and his eyes on his coffee cup which he was doctoring. He wondered if Aaron realized exactly what he was doing with statements like that. Spencer made sure that his face showed nothing, a mask he'd perfected long before he'd ever stepped foot inside a courtroom with Aaron. 

Plans were made between father and son for a movie day and Spencer figured out then that there was something that he was missing. There was a massive piece of the Aaron and Spencer puzzle that he needed. The waitress brought their bills to them, splitting it without either adult saying a thing. Spencer grabbed his and moved to the counter to pay. He went back to the table to sit down and finish his coffee. He wanted to be shocked that when Aaron got up to pay, he took Jack with him but he wasn't. Spencer had a lot to think about. 

* * *

The sun was setting when Spencer figured out exactly what was going on. He looked at the words that the other Spencer had wrote in a letter to his mother that his mother had copied back, which showed her own mind more than anything. He'd tried his hardest to find anything on the computer but in the end, he'd had to read all the letters to the other Diana Reid before he figured it out. The Reid Effect. He really felt like slapping the Aaron Hotchner of this world, he figured that he could. There were enough differences that it wouldn't send him into a panic attack. He'd read through the life of this Spencer Reid as it pertained to the team and he figured that this Aaron Hotchner had a blind spot a mile wide when it came to how his action and inaction had hurt Spencer in the past. Spencer knew that his own ability to forgive wasn't as big as this Spencer's. He'd have to start making sure that Aaron saw the world around him for how it truly was, starting with shutting Spencer out of his and Jack's life when he felt that he wasn't needed in it. 

Jack's teenage years were going to be a mess if Spencer and Aaron were still together then. Already Aaron was setting up that only his word needed to be followed and that would make for a surly teenager, no matter how strong the relationship between the two adults were. 

Spencer had diagnosed himself as a sociopath by age twenty one. He'd never seen a shrink, even before he'd become Aaron's lover and knew the full breadth of his dealings, Aaron had never once entertained the idea of having him talk to a shrink. When teenaged Spencer had brought it up, Aaron had just raised an eyebrow and asked him if he thought he was stupid. Spencer had of course answered no. Aaron had gone on to explain that he knew that Spencer could talk circles around every single shrink that Aaron had ever looked into for his job as a lawyer and that it wouldn't help him, but that he'd never been able to lie or talk circles around Aaron. By the time that he'd thought about what he was becoming, at Aaron's hands, it was too late to stop it. He hadn't wanted to stop it either. He accepted and moved on. He'd never told Aaron that he'd diagnosed himself but he had a feeling the man knew. Again he'd accepted it and moved on. 

The love that Spencer had for Aaron and for Jack was all consuming. He'd been in love with Aaron before his eighteenth birthday. He'd seen him laid bare and loved him, society's perceived faults and all. 

But even he saw how bad this relationship was going to go without a course correction. The Spencer and Aaron of this word were locked in an orbit that was going to crash and burn. Aaron was waiting for Spencer to ask to be included, because of the effect of labeling him as not kid friendly years before. While Spencer was staying on the edges because he'd not been invited in. Not wanting to upset his pseudo-boyfriend by pushing for too much too soon. 

Putting all of the letters back where he had got them, deciding that he needed to think more on that relationship at a later time, Spencer moved to the computer room. The computer was still on and he opened a word document and started to just type. He filled out seven pages before printing it out, his observations and even interactions with everyone that was in Spencer's life from the moment he'd woke up in the hospital. He also included little things on his Jack and urged Spencer to try them and see if this Jack liked them. There was an empty three ring binder on one of the shelves and he punched holes in the paper and stuck it inside. He'd not be able to do a daily summary when he was on cases but he could when he got back. He knew that for both of them to slip back into their lives when they switched back, they'd have to know everything. His Aaron would make sure that he did, but this Spencer had no one. No one that Spencer trusted to tell him, so Spencer had to make sure that the other Spencer had what he needed. 

When he was done with that, Spencer moved back to the living room to try and figure out a detailed plan on getting Aaron right where he wanted him. Spencer liked plans and Spencer liked having contingency plans in place. He had to have a plan to get him home but he also had to plan if he never got to go home. If that happened, he'd never be able to live long term with the Aaron in this world. He could live with working with the FBI, it was probably going to be fun as hell catching killers and possibly even killing a few, untraceably that was. And he'd never be able to live without Jack. He had to have Jack in his life.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer woke-up in the restraints on the bed in the room with Aaron. He was trembling as he thought about the events from the day before. At least he thought it was the next day, he wasn’t quite sure.

“Shh, calm down Pet, it’s okay. You’re okay.” He felt Aaron reach over and release the cuffs then he was being pulled into those strong arms. He curled up against Aaron trying to control himself.

“Stop fighting it. You have to let yourself feel it. The more you fight, the worse the drop will get. I have a warm bath ready, it will help.” Spencer tried to do as Aaron told him but he didn’t even understand what was happening to him.

“I, I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this. I don’t want to want you. I don’t.” The emotions were too big to process. Too much was going on all at once and Spencer felt like he just needed to take a breath. Aaron hadn’t let him just take a breath. 

“But your body does. I may not be your Aaron, but you recognize something in me that is enough like him for you to want things you’ve probably denied yourself, denied him. I’ll make you feel things you never even dreamed possible Spencer.” Aaron lifted his chin then those lips were kissing him, hands soothing him and his fucking traitorous body melted right into it. Aaron broke the kiss and pulled back. One hand fisted in Spencer’s hair as the other rubbed his arm. After a few moments the trembling eased and his mind emptied.

“Come on, let’s get you that bath. I promise to take care of you,” Aaron said as he stood then half carried Spencer into the bathroom. He had gone limp from the experience, from the emotional toll of the last few days. He moaned as he slipped into the hot water that was filled with a soothing fragrant oil. Aaron moved behind him and pulled him close. 

“I feel so empty, as if you’ve hollowed me out. I don’t understand.” Spencer tried to move but Aaron just held him tight.

“It’s called subdrop. You’re emotions are in turmoil from too much stimuli. You’ve had a lot happen in the last couple of days and I’m not surprised you are feeling what you are.”

“You touching me, making me do and want things isn’t helping.” Spencer sighed as he slumped back.

“You will start going on runs with me and working out in the gym. It’s one of the things that is expected. It’s also good for your health and will help those endorphins. When we get out, we will go for a run.”

“I actually like doing the running. Aaron got me into it to help with my headaches.”

“I assume you’ve been tested?”

Spencer knew, instinctively, what Aaron was asking. If the other Spencer’s mother was a violent schizophrenic there would be that fear on both their parts.

“Yes, the doctors have said that I don’t have any of the markers for schizophrenia. I’m also getting to the age where it should pass me by.”

“Good. Then stress or is it a deficiency?”

“Mostly stress. Aaron’s been helping. I tend to work too much.” Aaron started to massage his shoulders and back relaxing him more. Those feelings of emptiness and hollowness were fading little by little. 

“I have a friend that I want you to see. She’s a geneticist and can maybe pinpoint the cause of your headaches. You may not be getting enough B and D vitamins. Magnesium and folic acid, which is a different B vitamin, deficiencies can also be causing your headaches.”

“Okay. I, I can agree to that.”

Aaron kept touching him, making his body relax and it felt amazing. He wasn’t going to fight this, at least not at the moment. After they spent a little more time in the bath with Aaron washing him then his hair, they got out of the tub, dried off and changed into running clothes. Aaron grabbed some waters, energy bars and a small container with cut-up fruit. 

“No coffee yet. I want you to drink a full bottle of water before we get to the park.” He pushed a sixteen-ounce bottle in Spencer’s hand who started to sip it with no hesitation. He almost chuckled at just how much this part was like his Aaron. It was very much something that Aaron would do.

The run was good. Spencer got to stretch his muscles, work out all of the frustrations and emotions of the last couple of days. He found it odd at first that Aaron wanted him to run in front, but he didn’t argue. It was such a small thing, but his mind was trying to figure it out. Then he remembered that this was a far more dangerous Aaron than his own. He was looking for enemies, people that would want to hurt them. Spencer quickly set that thought aside as they continued on their run. He didn’t want to entertain any thoughts of danger outside of what he already knew working to catch serial killers.

By the time they stopped, Spencer was feeling more settled as they worked on a cool-down routine. He found out the hard way once when he didn’t and he woke from a nap with horrible cramping in his legs and arms. He did not want a repeat of that experience.

“When we get back, I am taking Jack out for the day. Every other Sunday we do something just the two of us. Next Sunday is your day. Feel free to wander about the mansion. Nothing is closed to you, but I suspect you will hole-up in the library.”

“Then what?”

“Then, we will have dinner as a family. After that, it will depend on you.”

“What do you mean?” Spencer looked at him a little fearful on where this conversation was going to go.

“We will talk later about it, but it's time to go.”

Spencer frowned, thrown again, but he was trying to take it in stride. He didn’t want to get stressed out and have another of those episodes like he had earlier. He didn’t like that at all. He had been getting better at showing his emotions, especially around Aaron, but they had gotten to big and too much for him to process all at once.

Spencer was so much in his head he didn’t realize when they had gotten back home. His stomach grumbled and he realized how hungry he was.

“Shower, food then take the day for yourself.” Aaron was being, soft, was all Spencer could call it and it threw him off. He wasn’t sure what to make of it, or what Aaron wanted for after dinner, but he wasn’t going to think to hard on it. He had been doing nothing but thinking too hard. If Aaron was giving him the day, he was going to take full advantage.

At breakfast, Spencer looked to see Derek and Charlie coming into the dining room, practically wrapped around each other. Derek kissed Charlie then got him settled in a chair.

“Have a good evening?” Aaron asked as they took their own seats.

Charlie blushed as he looked down and seemed to Spencer like he was waiting.

“It’s okay baby, you can answer.”

“Yes Sir. I feel…” The blush deepened as he looked-up, “Better. Thank you for asking me, Sir.”

“Charlie, I am not your Dom. Please, Aaron is fine.”

“Aaron. Thank you. I, I was so lost.” Spencer looked back between the two men and everything finally clicked. This is what Aaron did. He found those that were hurting, in pain or in trouble and helped them. He helped them in ways that bonded them to him. That was why all these people were so loyal, why they did whatever it was that Aaron wanted of them, no matter the task.

“Pet, is something wrong?”

Spencer looked-up sharply as he closed his eyes a moment and settled again.

“Just coming to a logical conclusion on a problem, that’s all Sir.” Spencer couldn’t even believe that came out of his mouth. It slipped too easily on his tongue and it made him swallow hard.

“Good, then we can move on, can’t we?” Aaron was looking at him with a hard, heated look and it did things inside Spencer he still wasn’t comfortable with or understood.

* * *

After breakfast Spencer was holed-up in the library reading a Tom Clancy novel. It wasn’t the novel itself, it was more the connection with his Aaron and what it meant. It gave him a sense of comfort and a little bit of normalcy in this crazy mixed-up world he had found himself in. 

Lunch, then later a light dinner had been delivered to him in the library. He had realized just how much time had gone by when dinner was brought in. It made him wonder how often this world’s Spencer had done the very same thing. He set the book he was reading aside, the fourth for that day. He had read a little slower than normal and tried to just get lost in the words instead of speeding his way through. 

He ate dinner at the desk then went back to reading. He was feeling more settled, and more accepting of what was happening. He knew he needed Aaron and now that Charlie was at the mansion, he knew he wasn’t going to escape. He needed to talk to Charlie alone to tell him what was really going on, then get a lab set-up somewhere to try to recreate the experiment and the flaw. He only hoped that if it did work, it sent him to his own world and not another one. They were going to have to be very precise with their calculations. Of course, he wasn’t even sure what went wrong in the first place. Sighing, he put the book down and sipped the coffee that had been left for him. 

Spencer was restless, he decided he was going to go poke around the mansion, see what he could find. As he wandered he made a mental map of where everything was. He found the game room that was set-up with every video game system from the old Nintendo to the latest that Atari and Sega had to offer. Spencer was amused that it was those two that had risen to the top. There were no Playstations that he could see but something called EverPlay was there. He smiled as he ran his hand over the titles. Some were actually familiar, just for different systems, but most were nothing like what he was used to. He knew he was going to take some time to learn, maybe make a play date with Jack.

He left the game room and found a viewing room, another type of game room with a pool table and other larger types of table games, video game machines and more. He moved on finding offices, bedrooms and a couple of empty rooms. When he got to the end of the level he was on he saw a set of stairs that led down. His heart beat a little faster, mostly from his experiences in the FBI. Basements were never fun.

Of course Spencer’s natural curiosity got the better of him and he went down the stairs. When he got there he saw two doors. One was reinforced with a keypad on the side and a fingerprint scanner. He raised a brow at that and filed it away to ask Aaron about it later. He kept walking towards the other door and went in. What he saw didn’t shock him. In fact it was pretty much expected that there would be a security room. What he hadn’t expected was to find Aaron there. The man didn’t turn around, though Spencer suspected Aaron knew he was there. His focus was on one particular screen.

Spencer watched as Aaron reached over and turned on the volume. What he heard had Spencer leaning forward getting a good look. What he saw shocked him to his very core as he stumbled back till he hit the wall and slid down. His breath was shallow but he couldn’t stop watching. Aaron had turned up the volume even more.

“ _....I hate you, I hate you and nothing you say will ever let me forgive you. Because of you I buried my heart five times over. Because of you my life is ruined. You egocentric, pathetic, bastard. I TOLD YOU WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. I TOLD YOU OVER AND OVER…Fuck you, fuck you too goddamned hell you bastard.”  _ Charlie’s voice over the comm broke Spencer’s heart. The pain and the anguish coming from him hurt Spencer more than he thought possible. The pounding and kicking on the glass while he was yelling made tears slip down Spencer’s face. He was torn, “.... _ I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad he broke you so you could know what it feels like. So you know the pain that I have EVERY FUCKING DAY. Every day.”  _ On it went till Morgan was there to capture him and hold him. Charlie broke, he screamed and it was like an animal caught in a trap. Morgan held him, whispered in his ear, as he followed Charlie to the floor.

“What did you do Aaron? What did you do?”

Aaron turned to see Spencer on the floor, crying, arms wrapped around his waist.

“It’s petty, I know, but this is my revenge. Gideon had to pay.”

“How, how long?”

“How long have I had him locked-up in a glass cage with only a feeding tube?”

Spencer closed his eyes a moment. Just when he thought he had gotten his bearings around Aaron something new made him remember just what this man was capable of.

“Yes,” Spencer quietly said as he looked down at the floor.

“It was just after the bombing incidents. He came back to DC and I kidnapped him. Broke him. Of course, it wasn’t too hard. After CalSci his psyche was already in the stages of becoming fractured. I just pushed him over that edge.”

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” Spencer looked up at Aaron and saw the small smile on his face.

“Oh yes I am. That man’s arrogance has hurt many people…”

“ _ He saved many more. What gives you the right to do this?”  _ Spencer shoved off the floor and was in front of Aaron. Rage and pain was all over his face.

“Because I can.” Aaron stood and glared right back at Spencer. “Because he is selfish and arrogant, thinks he knows what is best for everyone else. Doesn’t think about the consequences of his actions. He is dangerous and.” Aaron cocked his head and looked at Spencer then a slow smile crossed his face. “He hurt you too, didn’t he Pet.”

Spencer snapped his mouth shut, grinding his teeth together.

Aaron took the last step towards him and had his hand painfully in his hair pulling his head back, staring into his eyes.

“Tell me, or I’ll make you tell me.”

Spencer didn’t say anything as he pressed his lips together in defiance. Aaron grabbed one of Spencer’s wrists and had his arm bent behind his back in a painful, hard hold.

“I am not kidding Spencer, tell me what he did to you.” The steel hardness in Aaron’s voice wasn’t something he had heard before. It wasn’t even like the day he woke. This was worse and Spencer was genuinely afraid.

“He, he pushed Hankel too far and I died. I died and he never said he was sorry. Never tried to help when I was using. He left me then, left me alone to struggle. Told everyone else to as well. Then, a few months later he physically left, with only a letter and still, still didn’t apologize.” Spencer hadn’t realized he was crying and screaming at the same time till strong arms banded around him and held him. The pressure on his hair gone, and he almost whimpered at its loss.

Spencer laid his head on Aaron’s chest and let out the pain of what Gideon had done, what he had left behind. He had never dealt with it, though Aaron tried to encourage him to talk to someone about it. He knew how to get past the Bureau psychologists, he’d been doing it for years. But, seeing the man caged, bound and at the mercy of another brought it all back and he shook. An old need rose up as he scratched at his elbow while Aaron held him.

Spencer felt his hand being pulled from his elbow.

“We can deal with this in better ways.” The hard look had Spencer trembling at the dark promises he saw there. In a fit of rage that swelled up so suddenly he didn’t even know it was there he pushed hard at Aaron, getting the man away from him he fled.

He ran through the mansion, not caring if anyone saw, he wanted to just get away. He went to the getaway room, slammed and locked the door behind him. Sliding down the wall he curled into himself and tried to stem the tide of emotions that he once again found himself in the middle of.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer sighed and leaned his head back. He was used to desk work, he just hadn't got used to the tediousness that was government forms. He used them only in cases that Aaron wanted only their hands on. Otherwise, interns filed them. Three weeks in this different universe was just enough time for the novelty to wear off on working in a government facility. He did enjoy the access it gave him, finding little niches were he might be able to get in from his universe. Foyet needed stopped and this could be what was needed to do that. Signing another consult, Spencer tossed it in the outbox. Thankfully, he was more than qualified to work on the cases from an educational standpoint.

After the first day, Aaron had kept the team grounded for a week, which had worked for Spencer just fine. He'd spent the first three days, holed up in the files storage and read over every single case file that the other Spencer's name was attached to. He was shocked to find that it wasn't just BAU cases he worked on. There were files from White Collar, Terrorist Task Force, and just about every single unit within the FBI that he worked on. There had been a single case worked in nearby Arlington since Spencer had switched universes and being stuck in the office was getting boring. The case had only been a few hours as the killer had messed up as soon as they arrived. 

The beep from his computer startled him and he looked down to see a chat box up. 

**_OfficeOfAllKnowing_ ** _ : Come to my lair. _

Spencer eyed the box, wondering who the hell was messaging him and why he would want to go to their lair. He thought for a few seconds that the other Spencer wasn't as nicey nice as he thought. 

**_OfficeOfAllKnowing_ ** _ : I'll get my Chocolate Adonis to get you and bring you here, Reid. Don't think I won't. _

And the air in Spencer's lungs left him in a rush of laughter. It was just Garcia. He hadn't been able to keep thinking of her as Penny because she was nothing like his Penny so it hadn't been hard to start to think of her as Garcia. She was annoying and this was just another reason that she was. Spencer laid his hands on the keyboard and started to type. 3PhD appeared on the screen and that had him stopping mid word. 

"Only three?" Spencer asked himself.

"What Reid?" Emily asked from her desk, her eyes turned towards him. 

"Nothing. Just read something and it startled me."

"Okay." Emily's eyes went back to her work and he was forgotten. 

Spencer eyed the screen with disdain. He understood that working with the BAU was time consuming but there was no way that colleges the country over wouldn't love to have his name added to getting a degree from them. He'd have to look into some of it and write out a sternly worded entry in the journal for his counterpart. It was a disgrace to not use his brain to get as many degrees as he could. There were a lot of degrees that would help with profiling. A quick search on the Internet before he replied to the pompous woman was in order. 

It didn't take long for him to find what he wanted. While it was nice to know that he had three other degrees besides the PhD, he'd have to set out a plan for Spencer. 

**_3PhD_ ** _ : I'm busy, Garcia and I don't have time. So unless it's case or consult related it will have to wait until I am not working. _

**_OfficeOfAllKnowing_ ** _ : I know that there is something up with you. _

Spencer eyed the screen with a hint of worry on his face. He wondered how the analyst for the team had figured out he was different before any of the trained profilers. 

**_OfficeOfAllKnowing_ ** _ : Something has been weird with you for months and I will find it out. _

**_3PhD_ ** _ : My life is my own, Garcia so I suggest you step out of it. _

There was no response for several minutes and Spencer wondered if he'd stepped over a line that the other Spencer never would. He wasn't that worried. If Garcia went to Aaron, it wouldn't be hard to get the man to understand it was him that was making him different and that was why he wasn't going to say a thing to Garcia. 

**_OfficeOfAllKnowing_ ** _ : You know with a few keystrokes and mouse clicks I can find out what I want to know. It's better to give in now. _

**_3PhD_ ** _ : And I'm sure that the FBI would love to know how you are digging into the lives of coworkers with no reason and no warrant. Stick your nose in Morgan's life. _

Spencer had got used to speaking of his friends with their surname instead of their given with ease, he was smart, it wasn't hard to figure it out. Still in his brain most of them were still thought of with their given names. 

The chat box disappeared but Spencer didn't care. He'd already set up alerts on if someone searched him. He'd had a few small pings from colleges and the like but nothing interesting. His weeks had been well used in making sure that he was safe. He looked at his coffee cup and smiled. He'd use coffee as an excuse to get up and move around. 

When he entered the kitchen area, Spencer delighted a little in the fact that the coffee pot was empty. He set about making a new pot, finding that whoever had made the last had never emptied the grounds. He washed out the reusable filter and cleaned it better than the person before. Filled it with grounds and waited.

His mind filled with the images of this world's Penelope Garcia. Her bubbly attitude that grated on his nerves. He understood where most of it came from but there was lighting up a dark atmosphere and there was being too much. He'd held his mouth a few times but it was fast becoming where he wouldn't. Especially with her now wanting to get into his personal life. He thought about the tucked out of way room in the mansion he lived in. He was the only one with the combination to enter the room. Aaron sometimes came in with him but for the most part he was allowed to do what he wanted. Anyone who came to the mansion would never find it. Not with sonar, radar, or any other method of search that was on the market or even in the research stage. 

In that room was everything that he would need to make anyone sing anything that he wanted them to. Only the special ones made it into that room. The longest person to last in the room was Vincent Perotta, who had been the first FBI agent he'd killed. Spencer had spent five weeks breaking him down and getting every single bit of information out of him that he could. After that, Aaron had known who was after him and the hunt for Foyet had started. 

He wondered how long Garcia would last in the room. He figured a day if not hours. It wouldn't be hard to take her. Even in the weeks that he'd been there he'd figured out her routine. He'd figured out the entire team's routine. He knew the weak points and he had plans made on what to do if he was found out. Jack and Henry would be protected but those were the only two. Garcia would be the easier to break but also given her ability to snoop, would have the most information on the rest of the team, what little bits Spencer would need. 

Garcia would wake up strapped to the table. He'd be behind her because he'd want to see what her reaction would be. One of his victims had freaked out for an hour before she had passed out. Spencer's specialty was blades and messing with someone's mind. He didn't beat them bloody or rape. Rape was something that he'd never do. Fisticuffs was Aaron's go to in a tight spot, Spencer just gutted them. Garcia would probably scream herself hoarse before she calmed down. The fear in the room would be so big that Spencer could probably taste it. 

Of course, her mind would be going through all of the UnSubs that could have potentially caught her but she wouldn't be expecting Spencer's face to sidle into her line of sight. The utter betrayal at that would probably feed Spencer for weeks. She's probably beg and plead. Spencer always bored quickly of that. If he was back in his world though, he might allow Aaron to set up a feed in his room for her breaking. This Garcia would have caused his Aaron to fire her long before now. His room was the only one in the mansion without a feed. The cameras in the bedrooms in use and the playroom were only activated by Aaron or Spencer. Not even security could activate them. But a camera just above the table so that the view wouldn't be obstructed that ran on a closed feed to Aaron's tablet or laptop, he could live with that. 

Garcia would probably be crying before Spencer even cut her for the first time. He found that with women, starting with the breasts/chest was the best place to start. Men it was best to start small and get bigger but with women, cutting that which separates them from men most recognizably hurts them more. Garcia embraced femininity so that was where he'd start. He'd start with a scalpel. He liked the ability to see the skin as it split open. With a knife there was more impersonality. A distance. It wasn't hard to get scalpels. Or at least it wasn't hard for Aaron. 

The first cut was always the best. The pooling of the blood and the way the body shook from that first cut. The sight of it would almost deaden the sounds his ears were hearing, the screams. He liked the beginning screams but the ones that came near the end were the best. When the body was giving in to the pain, those were the best. The next place he'd go would be her fingers. Those were her livelihood as a hacker and as an analyst. The reveal of flesh under her skin would be lovely.  

By the time that he finished flaying her first finger, she'd probably be begging for him to stop and would tell him whatever he wanted. He wouldn't stop though. No one could ever be left alive. That was the first rule of Aaron's after obeying him. Never leave anyone alive. He figured that the removal of skin from her first hand would kill her but if not, he'd move onto the second. 

The act of flaying was hard and took a lot of concentration. Mostly he carved nonsense symbols into bodies until the person inside gave up. But flaying, he saved those for special ones and Garcia would be special because she pissed him off and in reality, he couldn't do a thing to her. 

The sound of someone entering the little kitchen area pulled him out of his day dreaming. He looked to see Derek step towards the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of water out of it. The man smiled at him and then moved back towards his office. Spencer filled his mug with coffee and a touch of sugar before moving back to his desk. His computer desktop was exactly as he'd left it. He opened his next file and got to work again. He made note of the file number and was compiling it into a list that he added each day to his journal entry for the other Spencer. Just so that he could look them up later. Profiling had interested him before Aaron and he'd looked into it as Aaron never limited his access to anything educational wise.

The sudden flurry of movement from Aaron's office had Spencer looking up. He watched as Aaron strode out of his office and started towards what the team called the round table room. 

"Team!" Aaron called out just as he was entering the room. Spencer grabbed a pen and a notebook of paper before going up into the room. There was a paper file sitting at one spot at the table and tablets at the rest. He took the seat where the paper file was and started to look through it. He frowned at the first few images in the file. There was something about the bodies that was familiar. He wasn't sure what it was. He looked through the case file more as the rest of the team filed into the room. Spencer was actually a little shocked as Aaron took the seat next to him. He watched Aaron turn his tablet on to find a picture of the main victim on it. He looked at it over the man's arm as he blew it up to look at the hand of the victim. All of the victim's fingers were broke.

Spencer listened as Garcia went over the case as they understood it at that moment. Spencer tried to remember where he had seen the bodies before. There was so many files in his head from his own world as well as all the ones that he'd looked at recently. The case was in Florida so he'd have a little time to get his head into what he needed. The image of the first body wasn't leaving him. 

The short drive to the airstrip where the jet left from gave him just enough time to understand exactly what he was going to do. The gun at his hip, worn at the same place he wore his when Aaron made him wear it out, made him feel better but not enough. Once the jet was in the air, Spencer excused himself to the restroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. It was strange. Seeing himself with a gun on his hip. In a jet that was obviously government issue. Aaron's jet was a lot better in everything. He was heading to a case that already had a three children dead and if the whole case held true, a fourth was being taken as they flew down there. The kids had been taken from three different counties and dumped in three other counties. It had taken a little time for them to be connected. The first nine year old boy had looked a little like his Jack just a year before. He wondered if this Aaron recognized that. 

The two boys taken after looked nothing like Jack so the only link between the boys was the age, nine. There were links between where they were taken and where they were dumped. Spencer tried to separate himself from the image of Jack's body lying broken, beaten, and raped in a photo, but he was having trouble. He needed to see the body. He'd figured out that Spencer usually helped with the geographic profile, but he was unsure of being able to do that yet. He had his own mind on the profile of the crime, but he wanted confirmation before he worked one for a case. Doing this one and see if his profile matched someone else's. He'd try and get to go to the ME's office so that he could see with his own eyes that the body wasn't Jack's. 

The team hit the ground running. With the dump sites so far away from each other, the team was spilt a little thinner than normal. Spencer was sent to the ME's office alone and he was quite thankful for that. The ME left him alone with the bodies, sheets still covering all three. He flipped the sheets back and looked at the three faces. Staring at them, he knew exactly where he had seen the faces before. Just not that first victim. He'd not seen it. By the time that the FBI had caught the killer in his world, the man had claimed and killed seventeen boys in Florida. Aaron's firm had been contacted to handle the case but Aaron had turned it down. Spencer hadn't questioned it and he'd not seen all the victims, just what he'd glimpsed moving around the office as Aaron had looked over it. He wondered then if Aaron had hidden that picture from him on purpose. He stopped that train of thought. Aaron hadn't hidden it on purpose, not in that way. Instead, he probably didn't want to look at it himself so he'd made sure that he didn't, which had stopped Spencer from seeing it. Aaron didn't hide hard truths from him, not like that. A few weeks and he was already looking at his Aaron like he was looking at the other Aaron. 

The UnSub's name was known to Spencer now but he had no way of linking that man. The one thing that he knew was that Foyet's team had been the one to catch the case. Aaron had almost taken it based on that alone, but given the scope of the case, he wouldn't have allowed the man to escape justice. Of course, there was the thought for a few minutes in Spencer's mind of letting him get off and then taking and killing him himself. Given that he knew who the first victim was, he kind of wished that he had.

His phone ringing drew him out of his thoughts. It was Aaron.

"Reid," he said as he answered his phone.

"Micah Daniels was taken from his home sometime over the past three hours. His babysitter thought that he was in his room playing videos games. It seems that he snuck out of his second floor room. The parents came home and he wasn't there. You are seven blocks away from the house."

"I'll go there until I can be relieved. I haven't finished at the ME's."

"Dave is the closest but he's just getting to his dump site. He was going to go to the next but I'll have him divert to you and then Morgan can cover the second dump site. Keep me informed. The LEOs are holding the site for you. You'll be the first to look through it."

"Good. The detective dropped me off so just text me the address and I'll walk. Getting a cab here at this part of town will be questionable."

"Text me when you get there," Aaron said with a tinge of worry to his voice. 

"I will." Spencer hung up and moved to find the ME. He made sure the hours that the ME was going to be there and even took the cellphone number to call if he was gone longer than he was there. He easily found the direction that he needed to go after exiting the ME's office. The walk to the site of the newest kidnapping was short. By the time that he arrived, the area was cordoned off and there were no one but LEOs and agents from the local field office there. This he could do. Being the top in the food chain. This he knew. 

The way that he was looked at by some of the reporters on the edge of the lawn told him that a few of them knew who he was. Obviously this team of the BAU made their rounds. One of the other detectives from the local station met him at the doorway. He'd grabbed several sets of gloves from the ME's given that he hadn't had any on him and didn't have one of the bureau assigned vehicles with him.

The babysitter and the parents were in the living room, but Spencer ignored them. He wanted to see the bedroom that the boy had been in and then how he'd left. The bedroom wasn't hard to profile. He was a regular nine year old boy in the big city. Walls with posters of sports stars, action figures on the tops of his dresser and low book shelves. Backpack on the floor with homework scattered on the desktop. Slipping on the gloves, Spencer looked around the room. There was no evidence that he'd been taken from in the room. Nothing was out of place. The bed was made, the tower of Jenga blocks in the corner wasn't upset. 

"Agent Reid, the parents are ready to talk," one of the LEO's said. 

"I'll talk to them after I canvas the route the boy may have taken." 

"Okay," the man said and turned to go back down the stairs. 

Spencer looked around the room, trying to place anything out of place but there was nothing. Micah left his room of his own volition. The two windows in the room were both an option for him leaving but Spencer was pretty sure that he went out the left hand one. It went right to the side fence that surrounded the property. If Micah had gone down the right tree to get out, he would have had to have crossed the window in the living room. 

Just as he was crossing the room to leave, he saw the trashcan right by the doorway. Reaching down into it, there were a lot of wrappers for hard candy. It was the nondescript wrapper that was plastic with a zig zag cut on each end. Many candies used wrappers like that. He found the bag of Life Savers in a drawer in the desk. It was half empty. 

Outside the house, there were four ways that the boy could have gone once he'd slipped out of the fence. Spencer though was looking for something else. Towards the park, he found what he was looking for. A wrapper in the grass. He picked it up and slipped it in an evidence bag before handing it back to the other FBI agent with him. 

"He went this way. Towards the park. Check all cameras between the park and the house and see if we can see him. He eats a lot of Life Savers. Have a team look over every bit of ground between here and the park for more. I want prints run on this one here."

"Yes, Sir." The agent turned to relay the message to the team that was back at the house. Now that they had a direction, Spencer felt like he could talk to the parents and the babysitter. 

* * *

A red light camera caught Micah being shoved into a pickup truck and it gave them the plates that they needed. Patrick Colson was picked up a block from his house and was currently in interrogation with Aaron, Dave, and Derek. Spencer had watched the first few minutes of Dave and Derek trying to get him to talk. He felt a little bad that he liked this universe's Dave better but there was something about his David Rossi that set his skin crawling a little and had since he'd met him. 

"Do you think you can crack him?"

"No," Spencer answered honestly. He wasn't trained in those kind of interrogation tactics. His involved blades and pain and in this capacity, he was a Federal Officer and wasn't allowed to do that. He imagined what he could do with a few hours and a thin scalpel. "I want to go to his home and see if I can figure out his hiding place."

"Take JJ."

"JJ needs to stay here and deal with the press. You need to stay here with Colson. Prentiss is with the family. I'll take the detective with me."

"Go." 

Spencer didn't even wait for another word to be said. He stopped at the desk of the detective who he had worked with the most so far. It would be better to work with him as the man didn't pay that close of attention to him. 

Colson's house had already had CSU teams over it. His computer was still on site and waiting for the tech from the field office to come and look at it. It had massive firewalls that Garcia had been unable to get through remotely. By the time that Spencer had got to the UnSub's house, he was certain he had figured out the password down to ten different guesses. Still he didn't go right for the computer. All of his DVDs of burned copies of Children Rape Porn had already been given over to the correct agency within the FBI. He didn't envy them at all. Two hundred DVDs had been found in his place.

"Agent Reid, the computer is in his bedroom," the lead LEO Detective said. 

"Thank you. I want to get an idea of him before I try a crack at the computer."

"I'll be outside, I don't want to disturb you." The man exited the living room and pulled the door shut, standing guard. Spencer was a little shocked at that. He hadn't asked to be left alone but the man had offered. He wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

Patrick Colson had a perfect house. It was neat and cared for and it was obvious that at some point he'd had a woman in his life because there was feminine touches in the place. But that woman had been a long time gone. 

Colson's kitchen was state of the art and it was obviously used well. Colson was a computer IT man for several local businesses. It wasn't any shock that his computer was like Fort Knox. 

The guest bedroom hadn't been used in a long time but the room was kept clean of dust. The fading on the comforter was the only indication that no one used it. Where it draped over the side of the bed that had no window was still unfaded. 

The main bedroom was just as perfect as the rest of the house. The man was meticulous. It wasn't any wonder that the FBI in his world never found the man until much later. The wrapper was luck. But it had been a good piece of luck. It allowed them to find him before more victims were taken. Now they just had to find the one that had already been taken. Micah needed to be found. 

On the wall in the bedroom was a black and white picture of a house. It was a modern picture but developed intentionally in black and white. Spencer stopped. That house had been on his way to the UnSub's. He'd noted the column work on the front porch. He pulled his phone from his pocket. 

"Garcia," Spencer started as soon as he heard the phone pick up. "I need you to run an address for me." Spencer picked through the houses in his head to give her address. 

"Okay, Boy Wonder, that house is...still in the original owner's names but a further search into them tells me that they are dead. The land deed for the house though is registered to a company that..." There was a pause and Spencer could hear the furious clacking of keys. "Patrick Colson."

"Have Hotch meet me at that address with medics."

"As swift as wings." Garcia hung up on her end and Spencer raced out of the house. The LEO was on his heels with barely a word spoken. Spencer drew his gun as he entered the front gate of the house.

"Go around to the back," Spencer said. He waited for the man to disappear from his sight before he looked at the house. He saw a curtain moving in the attic of the house. The clearing of the house took little time at all. Every room was still furnished but there were not a lot of rooms on each floor. Spencer had the LEO stay at the base of the stairs that led to the attic. He wasn't sure what he was going to find up there and he didn't want to overwhelm Micah. The door to the attic was locked. Spencer didn't want to break it open and scare the kid unless he had to. He pulled the simple kit he'd scrounged up to pick locks. The lock was simple and in just five seconds he had it picked. He didn't step into the room. It was dark and he just waited to hear movement. 

There was nothing from the room so Spencer reached in with his right hand and flicked the light switch on. He didn't step into the room but just looked. He saw a chain in the middle of the floor, hooked to a ring. He followed the chain to the side of the room where it disappeared under what looked like a dining room table. It was covered with a table cloth. 

"Micah?" Spencer called out, his eyes on the table. The chain jerked and Spencer smiled inside. He holstered his gun and started over towards the table. Aaron didn't have a lot of cases that dealt with abused children, but enough came through the office that Spencer had taken classes on dealing with them. He sat down on the floor of the attic and crossed his legs. He was about five feet away from the table. 

"My name is Spencer. I work with the FBI. The man who took you, he's in our custody." Spencer waited, letting the boy get used to him being there. The chain pulled a little under the table and then a face was peaking up from under the cloth. 

"Hi," Micah said.

"Hi. I'm Spencer. Are you Micah?"

"Uh huh." Micah nodded up and down fiercely. The boy scooted out from under the table to where he was mostly out from under it. The chain was linked to a metal cuff that was around his ankle. 

"Do you want me to undo that?" Spencer pointed at the cuff on his ankle. Micah shook his head. There was still some trust to be gained there. "That's fine. The rest of my team is on their way to us. They are going to be bring someone who can look you over for any wounds. Do you have any?" 

"No. He chained me up here and then left." Micah looked at the doorway. "Are they just going to barge in here?"

"Not if you don't want them to." 

"I don't want them to."

"Okay. Stay right there." Spencer moved towards the doorway, he looked down to see the Detective. "Detective, when my team gets here, don't let them up. Tell them Micah is scared."

"Yes, Sir."

Spencer moved back and sat down in the exactly same spot as he had been. Micah was in the same spot but he seemed to have relaxed more. Spencer reached into his pocket and pulled out his credentials. He set them down with the badge facing up and slid it over towards Micah. The boy reached out and picked it up. His fingers traced over the ridges on the badge before he flipped it open to look at it. He had to get Micah out of the house but he wasn't going to force him. Patience would win him what he wanted. 

"You really are an FBI agent." Micah smiled. 

Lights flashed in the windows, red and blue and Spencer knew that his team was there. Micah wasn't paying attention to anything but the credentials in his hand. The sound of running feet in the ground floor had Spencer's head turning to look at the doorway. He looked back at Micah to see the boy was standing up. His chain rattled and he moved towards the window and looked out.

"Is that your team?"

"Yes."

"Are they nice?"

"Yes. I don't know which members are here right now but all of them are really nice."

"Reid?" Aaron called up the stairs. Micah gasped and jumped into Spencer's lap. Wrapping his arms around him. 

"He sounds scary."

"That's just Hotch. He's my boss. He has a little boy who is just a little younger than you."

"Can you undo my chain now?" 

"Yes." Spencer pulled the tools out again and Micah laid his legs over Spencer's lap so that he could get to the cuff. It took no time at all for Spencer to pick the lock. The boys ankle was rubbed raw so badly it was bleeding. "You are hurt. Can I let the medics up?"

"I want to meet the man who was talking before."

"Hotch?" Spencer asked.

"Yes. Do you have to get up to get him?"

"No. I can call him." Spencer showed his phone to Micah and called Aaron. The ringing of the phone could be heard down there. Aaron answered it and a short conversation later, he hung up. He appeared at the top of the stairs with a first aid kit in his hand. He looked shocked to see the boy in Spencer's lap. 

"Hello, Micah. My name is Aaron."

"Spencer called you Hotch."

"Hotch is my nickname."

"Is that to make me better?" Micah asked pointing at the kit. 

"There are things in there to bandage up your ankle so that it'll stop bleeding." Aaron opened the kit and showed Micah what was inside. Micah curled into a ball and settled more into Spencer's lap but he did hold his hurt leg out for Aaron. Spencer wrapped his arms around him and let the boy grip his left arm so tight that he was sure that he would bruise. It was going to take time to get the wound clean so Spencer started to sing. 

Spencer sang song after song that he'd learned to sing to Jack when he was sick. He didn't stop singing until Aaron had wrapped Micah's leg with gauze. Micah watched Aaron with wary eyes but when Aaron let go of his leg, Micah smiled at him. 

"Thank you Mr. Hotch."

"Your mom and dad are outside, Micah. Are you ready to go to them?" Aaron asked.

"Yes please." Micah stood up out of Spencer's lap and waited for him to stand before he linked his hand with his. Spencer escorted him down the stairs to the second floor and then down the next set to the ground floor before taking him out the door. JJ and Prentiss were standing with Micah's parents at one of the SUVs. Micah dropped his hand and took off running towards his parents. 

Spencer's heart ached to see his son again. He wanted to hold him close and never let him go. To wrap him in his arms and have Aaron hold them both. He wanted to feel safe and he wasn't safe here. 

When they were on their way home, Spencer wasn't shocked when Aaron called and talked to Jessica about getting Jack even though it would be after the boy's bedtime. He also wasn't shocked that Aaron didn't ask him to come over. He did see the way that Aaron was watching him though, like Spencer had shocked him. He wondered how Spencer acted with the kids that were victims or even witnesses. He seriously doubted that he rejected them and didn't talk to them. He just wondered how long it would take for Aaron to see it all.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer eventually came out of the room. He knew he needed to keep up the pretense, but in private he made it clear he didn’t want Aaron’s touch. He was angry, confused and depressed. He still dressed how Aaron wanted him to, still went to the office and worked by rote, still slept in the same bed and even let Aaron cuff him, but any attempts at touch Spencer shrugged it off. He curled up in sleep to protect himself and tried to distance his feelings from the man.

He grew closer to Jack. In fact, it was his favorite thing in the world to spend time with the boy. He came alive around him and he quickly was falling for the the energetic, smart, playful boy. His heart swelled when Jack called him Papa and he knew it was going to break him if he ever found his way back home.

Spencer had found some empty leather bound journals and decided to keep one in his bedside drawer. There was one with a lock on it and a set of tiny keys. He kept one and put the other in the getaway room where he knew the other Spencer would find it, but no one else would. He knew he needed some way to let the other Spencer know what was happening with both Jack and with Aaron. And his preferred method was always to handwrite.

He documented everything from the morning he woke-up restrained, to the confrontation in the security room. He thought it only fair to let the other Spencer know, just in case.

Charlie settled more into the house. His relationship with Derek was surprisingly good for the both of them. Derek didn’t seek out either women or young boys. Spencer was shocked that Charlie seemed to be exactly what this Derek was looking for. When the day came that the man was more coherent, Spencer laid it all out and Charlie, bless his heart, was more excited than shocked. Aaron gave them an empty room to set-up for their combined office to start working on plans to build the scale model of the Hadron collider. It had taken almost two years of calculations and experimenting before his Charlie had gotten it right. Spencer just hoped with the information he had that it didn’t take that long.

Spencer also noticed that in the few weeks that followed, Aaron was becoming more depressed, shorter of temper and anxious. He wasn’t sure what was happening and the open communication that they had established when Spencer first arrived had eroded. He knew he needed to talk to someone, but it was a risk. He just didn’t know who.

While in the library one night looking through some books on mechanical engineering, particle accelerators, the God Particle, and anything physics related someone came in and sat down in front of him.

“So, you want to tell me who you really are kid? Because you are not the Spencer that I know.” Spencer looked-up from his book to see David Rossi sitting in front of him. “And all this secrecy surrounding Dr. Epps and what the two of you are doing is the big clue. Plus I haven’t seen Aaron this agitated since before you came into his life.”

Spencer swallowed and sat back in the chair he was sitting in.

“I suppose there isn’t any reason for me to lie to you. If you are anything at all like my David Rossi you are more than hyper observant.” Spencer put the book down and shoved it aside. “You are right. I’m not this world’s Spencer.” He went on to tell Rossi what happened.

“I can see why Aaron was keeping this quiet. Don’t worry I’m not going to say anything to anyone. Aaron is very important to me. He’s like the son I never had. I don’t know what he has told you of his childhood, but it wasn’t a good one. His father was an abuser and a serial cheater. His mother committed suicide leaving him and his three year old brother at his father’s mercy. One night, Marcus beat Sean up so badly the boy died on the way to the hospital. Aaron had a broken arm and a concussion from trying to save him. I was a detective at the time and when I got to the house after the 911 call I saw a thirteen year old Aaron standing in front of his brother with a dead father at his feet. I could surmise what had gone on.”

 

“You took him in?”

 

“Yes, after a trial. He was acquitted because it was self defense.” Spencer let this digest for a moment and wiped his face before continuing.

 

“Do you know what’s going on with him?”

 

“After a fashion. I’m not really into his lifestyle, though I have gone to clubs with him and observed. From what I can gather it’s called Dom drop. A Dom has needs, Spencer. And when he’s had a relationship as long as he has had with his Spencer, there’s a routine. It’s been thrown. I know if this goes on too much longer he will seek an sub outside. He doesn’t always like that, but he can’t keep pushing down his needs Spencer.”

 

“You’re saying I should let him Dom me?” Spencer glared at Rossi, the look on his face made Spencer’s stomach roll. It wasn’t something he could define and this David Rossi made him very nervous.

 

“I’m saying exactly that. I’m also going to say that you want him to. Deep down, I think there is a part of you that is very much like his Spencer. If there wasn’t, you wouldn’t be able to fake it like you have.” Dave stood and started towards the door before he turned around, “Think about it Spencer and you’ll see I’m right.”

 

Spencer swallowed hard as he pulled his legs up on the chair setting his chin on his knees. He was very much afraid that Rossi was right.

 

_________________________________________

 

Aaron was sitting in his study with only one light on and a bottle of scotch sitting on the desk. His hand was shaking as he picked up the glass. He knew intellectually what this was, he was suffering from Dom drop and he didn’t like it. The last scene with his Spencer had been tame physically. He gave Spencer what he needed and cared for him after. It was still no less intense and having his beloved ripped from him, not being able to have the morning after talk, the soft quiet moments with his sub was playing with his emotions. It had been too long and he knew depression and anxiety were setting in. He didn’t like this feeling which he knew was adding to the surly attitude he had been sporting at work and at home. There was a knock on the slightly open door.

“Go away,” he growled low as he slung back another drink.

“Its me. Can I come in?” Spencer stood just inside the door and watched the man at the desk, guilt eating away at his stomach. He hadn’t meant for things to get this far, but he had been angry and hurt by the way Aaron had forced him to talk about things he thought he had locked away.

“Fine. Just say what the fuck you want and leave me alone.”

Spencer took off the glasses he was wearing and rubbed at his eyes. He lowered himself in the chair across from Aaron and just stared at him a moment.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry this happened. I’m trying to fix this and I, I know you are trying to be patient. I’m sorry I’ve backed away but you scare me Aaron. You make me feel and do things I never even knew were in me. Then you hurt me, with Gideon. You did all that on purpose. Putting it in my head to wander the mansion. You knew I would find the security room and the video feeds.” Spencer trailed off not knowing what more to say.

“I need him Spencer. I  _ need _ him,” Aaron’s eyes were wet but he refused to let himself cry. The last time he cried he was ten, after a particularly bad beating from his father. He resolved himself that day that he wouldn’t let anyone, ever, make him cry. He knew then he was worse off than he thought.

 

“And yes, I did lead you down there. I wanted you to see the  _ real  _ Jason Gideon. Not this mentor you built-up in your head. He hurt you like he hurt my Spencer, like he hurt Charlie. What if he had done that in your world? Would you have forgiven him so easy?”

 

Spencer was silent and Aaron could practically see the thoughts in his head. “No. I don’t think I would have and I don’t think that I have forgiven him. You made me see a hard truth I was denying.” 

Aaron could feel Spencer’s eyes on him and he just really wanted the man to leave him alone. The last time he felt this emotionally lost was when Haley had tried to run away with Jack. When he finally found her he took Jack, handed the baby to Spencer, who cradled the boy close. It melted Aaron’s heart to see his Spencer loving the boy almost immediately. He made Spencer go wait in the car while he dealt with the woman. He didn’t care that Jack would never know his mother, the boy had two fathers that adored him and, in his mind, that’s all he needed.

Aaron watched as Spencer stood up and bit his lip. Taking a deep breath, he kneeled in front of Aaron, head down and hands clasped together behind his back. Aaron watched him as he held the pose, his eyes boring into Spencer.

He wasn’t sure what was being offered. He let Spencer sit there in the pose, studying him. There was so much that was the same, but so much that was different as well. After he finished his scotch, he reached out and gripped Spencer’s chin and forced his head up to look him directly in the eyes.

“Do you understand what you are offering me?” Aaron studied his face, trying to find the lie or the trick but saw only openness in the man’s eyes.

“I can’t take the level of pain that your Spencer can, but yes I understand,” Spencer swallowed as the hand holding his chin was now wrapped lightly around his throat.  Aaron observed him carefully as he kept his hand there, lightly squeezing.  Aaron wasn’t blind, he saw the rush of want and need in Spencer’s eyes. Slowly he leaned forward and keeping his hand around Spencer’s throat, kissed his full soft lips. He flicked his tongue out and across those lips he still had captured and on a deep moan Spencer opened for him. Pressing his tongue inside he explored Spencer’s mouth reveling in the shiver he caused. He kept up the assault on the other man’s mouth till Spencer was practically vibrating with need. Sitting back in the chair Aaron smiled at the swollen lips and blissed out look on Spencer’s face.

“Stand-up Pet.” He was taken by surprise when Spencer did it with no argument. He reached out and hooked his fingers through one of the belt loops then pulled the man closer. Spencer was watching his face the whole time wondering what he was going to do. Aaron undid Spencer’s trousers and let them fall to the floor, then taking a hand tugged him into his lap. Without saying a word he reached in and wrapped his hand around the hard cock and started to stroke.

“You aren’t him,” Aaron whispered in Spencer’s ear as he stroked along the length of him.

“I know,” Spencer’s breath caught in his throat as the pleasure spiked through his groin making his back bow.

“Then, why? You obviously hate the man I am,” Aaron breathed against Spencer’s neck as his grip tightened and his movements sped up. “And I’m not your Aaron. I could never be.”

Spencer leaned against Aaron for support, his head on the man’s shoulder, his hips thrusting up into Aaron’s hand seeking relief from the intensity of what was happening to him.

“Y-you n-n-needed something. Oh fuck, wha-what are you doing?” Aaron had a finger pressing on the area just below his scrotum and the sensation was shooting all through his lower stomach and thighs. He was trembling with each pass of Aaron’s hand, the need for release making him whimper.

“You are still a treasure Spencer. I hope your Aaron knows what he has.” Aaron continued to press kisses along his neck, licking a stripe up to his ear where he caught the lower lobe in his teeth. Sucking on the soft flesh Spencer cried out, his shaking getting worse, the intensity of sensation on his cock increasing with each thrust. He looked down and watched as Aaron stroked him. He couldn’t take his eyes off that hand and when he felt the bite on his ear, his body responded as he thrust up and came in Aaron’s hand. The intensity of the orgasm had him shaking in Aaron’s arms. He buried his head against Aaron’s neck to hold back the tears that wanted to come.

“You’ve never done that with your Aaron have you? Am I the only one that has touched you like this Spencer?”

Spencer couldn’t speak even if he wanted to so he just shook his head no.

Aaron wrapped his other arm around Spencer and held him close till the shaking stopped. Not letting go of Spencer, Aaron reached in his desk for the hand wipes he kept in there, mostly for this purpose. He cleaned himself, then Spencer up and leaned back and wrapped both arms around the man in his lap.

“He’s a fool. If he’s anything even remotely like me he’s been in love with you for years. Why hasn’t he done anything about it?” Aaron ran his hands through Spencer’s hair and though it was short he got some sensation from just touching it.

“We were going to go on a date, our first one. It was the day I woke-up in your bed.” Spencer admitted as he closed his eyes trying not to cry. 

Aaron kept a hold of Spencer as he was settling more back into himself. This, this was familiar. Even if it was a different Spencer, the feelings and the touches were so much the same.

“He was married, and life just happened.”

“Life doesn’t just happen Spencer. People let themselves get caught-up in their own emotional baggage and hold back from what they really want. If he truly wanted you, he should have already had you.” Aaron slid his hands up under Spencer’s shirt and caressed the flesh underneath. Spencer couldn’t help the physical response as his body shivered at the feel of those hands on him.

“You don’t know, oh god,” Spencer sighed and fought with himself on whether he should stop what was happening. A part of him felt like he was cheating on his Aaron, but another part, the part that was touch-starved didn’t want it to stop. He was shaking again, unashamed in wanting more.

“Was your submission false Spencer?” Aaron whispered in this ear as his tongue flicked out and he licked along the lobe.

Spencer wanted to lie again, wanted to say yes but he would be lying to himself as well.

“No.” The word was out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Aaron breathed in deep, practically smelling the arousal pouring off of him. His smile was almost feral. A part of him wanted to push Spencer, wanted to do to him what he normally would do to his Pet, but he wasn’t going to. But, he did plan on using the man currently writhing in his arms.

“Pick a safeword.” Aaron rumbled low in his ear.

Spencer tried to think but is was so hard as those hands caressed him and held him in an iron grip. His breath hitched as fingers pinched one of his nipples.

“I’m tempted to send you back to him with pierced nipples. Strap you down on the table, straddle your legs and pull out the piercing kit. I’d put a bar through both, a minor claim to let him know I had you.” Aaron scraped his teeth across Spencer’s jaw then his cheek. 

Spencer closed his eyes and a small part of him wanted it. God help him he wanted it but he wasn’t going to let this Aaron know, wasn’t going to give him that ammunition that would let him dig deeper into him, twisting him up more than he already was. 

“Tumultu.” Spencer finally choked out.

“Latin for confusion. Is that really what you feel Spencer? Confusion? Do I confuse you Spencer?” Aaron hummed as his tongue slid down Spencer’s neck licking the sensitive flesh.

“You, you twist me up and turn me around. I know what you’re doing. These mind games, you’re punishing me.” 

“Am I? Or am I making you see things you choose to be blind to.” Aaron slid his fingers into the top of Spencer’s hair. At least he could grip that part. Hooking his fingers in the short locks he pulled hard and forced Spencer to look at him. “Do you want me to fuck you Spencer?”

Panting hard, Spencer looked at Aaron with slightly glassy eyes, “Yes.” He wanted to cry at the confession. God, he wanted it so bad. He knew how much of a sociopath this Aaron was but god he just wanted to let go, let go and let Aaron take control. He hadn’t even realized he had that in him and he knew this was another thing this Aaron was going to win in.

“Stand up, put your clothes back on and go to our bedroom.” Aaron stood, his arousal was quite evident but Spencer was too far gone. He scrambled to do as Aaron told him to do and walked at a fast, clipped pace till he got to the bedroom. 

Aaron wasn’t too far behind him when he went to the cabinet immediately and opened it. He took out a few items then turned to Spencer.

“Strip.” Aaron commanded. Spencer quickly shed his clothes and stood there shivering a little. He didn’t know what to expect as he’d never done anything like this before. 

Aaron walked over and put a different type of cuff around his wrists. These were black hard leather with buckles and a few rings as well. He also put some cuffs around his upper arms and tried not to let his fear show. Aaron smiled as his chin was gripped tight, then that mouth was on him, kissing him and Spencer couldn’t help the moan that escaped from him.

“Are you backing out?”

Spencer swallowed as his breath turned shallow, “No.”

“Good.” Aaron turned him to face the cabinet. “Choose two.”

Spencer stood there for a long time not knowing what to do. He lightly fingered each item, guessing what they were used for. He was intrigued by the long hard paddle and took that out as well as the braided flogger. It was thick with many braided strands that were knotted on the ends.

“Go to the closet. The purple kimono, put that on, and come back out here.” Spencer quickly did as Aaron told him.

“Beautiful.” Aaron clipped the leash on the collar, that Spencer almost forgot he was wearing. Aaron pulled on the leash as he started out the door. Spencer had no choice but to follow.

When they entered the playroom Aaron took off the leash, then stripped him of the robe. He reached down and stroked Spencer to hardness then snapped on the leather cock cage and ring. He then led Spencer to the very rack that Charlie had been on just a few short weeks ago. Aaron pulled out chains and attached them to his arms, a belt was attached around his waist and chains to the ankle cuffs that were attached to him. Aaron stood and looked in Spencer’s eyes.

“You safeword, it all ends.”

“I understand, Aaron.”

“Sir. In this room, I am Sir or Master.”

Spencer shivered as he looked in Aaron’s eyes, “Yes, Sir.”

Aaron groaned as he walked around Spencer, his fingers lightly trailing over his skin.

“God you’re beautiful. Your skin is almost perfect.” Aaron walked back to the front and gripped Spencer’s chin. “I won’t scar you. Not like I would my Pet. But, I want to mark you, but we can talk about that later.” Aaron leaned in and kissed Spencer hard, his tongue thrust in and was relentless in tasting him. Spencer groaned as he leaned as much as he could into the kiss. He gave up trying to fight the want of Aaron the moment he stepped into Aaron’s study.

Aaron pulled out of the kiss and moved around the room a moment. He didn’t want to start Spencer out hard so he grabbed a silicon flogger with thick strands that would give just a slight sting, but wouldn’t cause damage. He caressed the flogger over Spencer’s body, then lightly swung it so it just slapped him. Spencer shivered and closed his eyes trying to empty his mind.

Aaron took a step back and loosening his wrist up a bit he took a swing and hit full force the middle of Spencer’s back. The man cried out as his body bowed in shock. Aaron swung again and again. Varying the strength, from light to hard. He watched Spencer’s reactions and noticed how his cock hardened, even in the cage.

Aaron ignored his own erection, that need would be satisfied later. Here, now, this was what he had needed. He had been on the verge of seeking a play partner for a short-term, no-sex relationship, but he didn’t want that. Knew it wouldn’t truly satisfy him. This, right here and now was what he needed. Training  _ this _ Spencer to become what he needed, what they needed, was intoxicating.

When welts started to form and Spencer’s cries became screams, Aaron shivered and felt more settled in his own skin. He set the flogger down and went to the fridge to pull out a bottle of water then walked back.

“Drink.” Spencer took a few sips of the water, then Aaron was pulling it away. He leaned in and kissed Spencer again, holding his head and leading the kiss.

“Tell me how you are?” He asked as he gripped Spencer’s chin.

“G-good. I’m good.” Spencer was breathing hard as he looked into Aaron’s eyes. He groaned as fingers explored his back, then pressed on the welts. Crying out, his head fell back and his breath shortened.

“Shall I continue?” 

“Y-yes,” Spencer whispered and Aaron could hear a little bit of shame in his answer.

“There isn’t anything wrong with what we are doing Spencer. Let yourself go, let yourself feel what I do to you, get out of your head for once and you will fly,” Aaron whispered close to his ear. 

Spencer whined as he leaned forward. Aaron chuckled as he moved away then picked-up the flat paddle. He lightly hit Spencer on the ass, letting him get used to the instrument. He slowly made the hits harder and harder till he was landing very hard blows on each cheek and a little on Spencer’s upper thighs.

Spencer was screaming and trying to buck as each blow landed.

“Sir, fuck, fuck I, I want, I want…” Spencer was finding it hard to form words.

“You what Spencer?”

“I want to come. I want to come. It hurts so bad.” Spencer whined and was begging.

“No. You don’t come till I tell you. Understand?”

“Please. Please I need to…” Aaron closed his eyes and trembled at the sounds of begging.

“No. You hold it Spencer. If you come I will punish you.” He ran his hands over Spencer’s sensitive reddened ass. It was hot to the touch and Aaron dropped to his knees and kissed and nipped his teeth all over the abused flesh. The whine that came from the younger man made Aaron want to crow in pleasure. Instead, he kept himself in control as he stood, took a few deep breaths and went for the braided flogger. The first hit was hard and added to the welt’s on Spencer’s back. Aaron’s body was practically singing as he continued.

He kept a careful eye on Spencer who had gone silent, his head was hanging and his body was slack. Aaron put the flogger down and went for a warm wet towel. Coming back, he gently padded the abused flesh as Spencer sucked in a breath.

“You with me Pet?” Aaron lifted his chin and saw glassy eyes. 

“Please,” Spencer whimpered as he thrust forward.

Aaron released him from the restraints, covered him with the robe then took him back to their bedroom. Grabbing a rolled pillow he slipped it under Spencer then bent the young man over it. He quickly stripped and grabbed the bottle of lube. Slicking up his hand he pushed one finger inside Spencer’s exposed hole. 

“Oh, oh please, please Sir.” Spencer was practically humping the pillow under him. Aaron added a second finger, spreading the lube inside. He then slicked up his own achingly hard cock and pushed inside, not even stopping to let Spencer get used to it before he started to fuck into him hard and fast.

“Fuck,” Spencer cried out as he pushed back then whimpered at the sting as his abused ass made contact with Aaron’s flesh as he was pounded into.

“Please, Sir, please I need…”

“Shh, I know Pet.” Aaron reached down and snapped off the cage. He felt close as he wrapped his hand around Spencer’s cock and started to stroke in time to his thrusts. His breath shortened as his cock ached with his own need for release.

“God, Spencer, so good, fuck,” Aaron caught his breath as that familiar pull started deep within. “Come for me Spencer,” He ordered through gritted teeth. He was rewarded when Spencer thrust and bowed his back up at the force of his orgasm. The pulsing heat around him was almost too much as he too let go and came inside Spencer.

Aaron closed his eyes and stayed on the bed like he was, still buried as his heart hammered in his chest. He knew he was beginning to develop feelings for this Spencer, he just didn’t know what they were yet. Carefully pulling out, he pulled Spencer to him and carried him into the bathroom where he went about his aftercare.

When they were settled in bed, Spencer not even protesting the cuffs anymore, Aaron curled around him and held him tight. He was afraid, and yet, wasn’t this what he wanted? Wasn’t this the long-game? The goal if he never got his Spencer back? Yet, he feared giving his heart because what if it was all ripped away from him, yet again.


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now being beta'd by JoanieLSpeak.

#  _Our World_

The ringing of the landline had Spencer standing up to look at the caller ID on the phone. It was Charlie again. Spencer had texted him the week before and told him that work had been really busy lately and he'd let him know when he could work on the project again. The voicemails and answering machines messages only spoke of wanting to talk about what went wrong but Spencer knew that he couldn't answer that. He had no clue what the hell the two of them had been doing and he wasn't going to even attempt to lie about it. It would take him at least a month with access to the experiment to understand it and he didn't have access.

Charlie realizing that he didn't know about the experiment was sure to reveal that he wasn't the correct Spencer. He had no way of lying his way out of any of it and he couldn't have the BAU team looking at him in anyway other than a teammate. He'd never be able to hold up to their ideals of Spencer with such harsh eyes on him. His sociopathy was well hidden because they weren't looking for it. 

A glance at the new alarm on the wall had Spencer sighing in comfort. He leaned back against the arm of the couch again, his collar affixed around his neck a welcome weight. He'd missed being able to wear it for a week. The team had been on a case. Prentiss, suffering from a severe cold that had Spencer deeming her a walking petri dish, had been sent home by Aaron. The town they were in was small and it only had a motel. There had been a single occupancy and two double. Dave had claimed the single. And it seemed that when it came to cases like that where there were odd numbers of male and females, he and JJ were paired together. So Spencer hadn't been able to wear his cuffs to sleep or his collar to calm him down. 

The ping of an email had Spencer looking at his laptop. He'd gone out and bought it as he was used to having one at home. When he and Aaron had to work on things on a computer they did use their office a lot but they also used a shared laptop so that they could still be mobile, especially on the weekends with Jack hanging around. Family time was important but sometimes cases were paramount so it was a good compromise. He opened the email and found that the paper submission had been accepted. Spencer had made sure to go through all of Spencer's academic things and get his homework done as well as the few paper submissions that he'd agreed to. Thankfully, it was all things that he already knew and Spencer had already started them so it was easy to continue in the veins to make sure that he sounded like Spencer enough to where the academics wouldn't suspect anything.. 

Spencer was nearly done finalizing his paper for the Journal when he heard a knock on the door. Instead of getting up, he picked up his cell phone and accessed the security feed. The small peep hole camera showed Charlie standing just outside. Spencer had to give him props for being tenacious. At some point Charlie was going to come to the BAU to talk to him and he just hoped he'd be able to lie his ass off to get out of it. So far in the weeks that he'd been there, he'd dodged him well.

Pushing the noise out of his mind, Spencer focused instead on the search that he was conducting to try and find a little bird. The man wasn't that hard to track as he didn't try to hide but Spencer wanted to know every single little thing about him before he confronted him. The web he was weaving was tightening around the man had he had no clue. He was a threat no matter what world he was in. Spencer wasn't going to let him live. 

Most of the morning had gone before Spencer closed down the laptop and moved to get himself a refill of coffee. Spencer enjoyed the game of technophobe that the other Spencer played with the team. It really showed how little they understood academia. He'd learned that they really thought the other Spencer hated technology. Reading was one thing, but how did they really think that Spencer researched his topics? Everything was digitized now. He was enjoying the game though. Aaron saw through it more and that thankfully meant the man wasn't too stupid to live. 

The taste of fresh coffee was welcome as Spencer stood in the kitchen of the apartment. He'd adapted well to living there alone but he was more than ready to go home. He wanted his bedroom, his playroom, and his office. He wanted a place where those who looked at him were just as scared of him as they were Aaron and in some cases more so. Their work personas were perfect but everyone knew that they loved each other to the ends of the Earth and while Aaron's love was possessive, Spencer's was manic at times. Spencer had even gone so far as to poison Aaron’s previous flirtatious partner without anyone being the wiser. 

Her ex-husband had been falsely accused and convicted but Spencer concluded that he was just as much to blame for her attempted seduction as she, since it was their divorce that had caused the woman’s eyes to turn to Aaron.

It was after that that Aaron had found better ways to keep Spencer entertained. The woman had been asking to be punished though since she desperately pursued Aaron despite his and Spencer’s obvious relationship

Spencer's cell phone ringing had him going into the living room to find that it was Aaron calling him. 

"Aaron," Spencer said as a way of greeting. He could hear noises in the background that sounded like Jack chattering away about something. 

"Spencer, Jack would like you to join us at the park. We are about twenty minutes away from leaving the apartment. Are you busy?"

"No. I've got all my classwork and papers done for now. I have the day to do what I want." Spencer looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was thirteen minutes past two. He'd spent more of the morning working than he thought. He'd have to eat something quickly. "Did you want me to meet you or did you want to pick me up?"

Spencer knew what he wanted but he had to make Aaron want to do it, not force it on him. 

"I can pick you up. Jack’s favorite park is in your direction.. It has more soccer fields." Aaron said something to Jack but he'd pulled his mouth away from the phone so Spencer did hear it. He waited patiently. "It seems that Jack wants to do dinner while we are out. Jack, we can't take up his entire day."

"Aaron, it's fine. I'd be delighted to spend the day with you and Jack. Like I said, I have completed everything that I need to do. Even if we go on a case tomorrow, I'll be fine."

"Well Jack, it seems like Spencer has agreed to eat out as well. Think about where you want to go." The sound of running feet carried over the phone and Spencer kept his laughter to himself. Jack had changed when came to him. Before that breakfast, Spencer discovered that Jack enjoyed having Spencer visit the apartment and eat meals with him, but he hadn't realized that it could actually be fun to see Spencer outside of that setting. Jack asked about him constantly it seemed and Aaron had to rein him in. Spencer had several plans that he could enact to get what the other Spencer needed out of this. If it came down to it and Aaron was unwilling, Spencer would end it. He wasn't going to let Aaron hurt him. Not in that way. 

He quickly grabbed meat and cheese from the fridge, and made a sandwich. He ate it while packing his bag for the afternoon out. He slipped in a book but figured he wouldn't be able to read but he didn't like being without. Next was a discreet bag that he slipped his collar in. Even just carrying it around helped. He brushed his hands down his belly, stopping at his naval. He knew that he was going in a slow drop. He'd have to find someone to dominate him in some way and soon. He was hoping that someone would be Aaron, but the man seemed so resistant. 

Spencer was ready to go by the time he finished the sandwich. He grabbed a bottle of juice and downed it before he set the alarm and left. The alarm had been installed a little later than he liked but he liked what had been installed. It was state of the art and was very well maintained by a company that catered to a lot of the Senators in DC. He wasn't sure which company Aaron used for his. He wasn't going to ask, nor at the moment give Aaron access to his apartment. 

When he stepped out in the sun, Spencer slipped on his sunglasses. He looked for Aaron's car in the passing traffic. It wasn't long before his car pulled into the loading/unloading zone in front of the building. He easily slipped into the front passenger seat and as he buckled his belt, Spencer turned back to Jack. 

"Hi, Jack."

"Hi, Spencer. Dad said you are going to spend all day with us."

"I am." Spencer smiled at him. He stayed turned towards Jack as they made the twenty minute drive to the park. The boy played with the soccer ball in his lap and smiled at Spencer every single time that he looked up at him. Aaron stole glances at them but Spencer ignored him. 

Once the car was shut off, Jack unbuckled himself and rolled the ball to the side while he climbed out of the car. Spencer met him at the car door and made sure that it stayed open. Jack smiled at him before taking off towards the closest, empty soccer field. 

"Jack! Slow down!" Aaron yelled. 

"I'll catch him," Spencer offered and moved towards the boy. Aaron's face wasn't exactly filled with happiness about it, but he didn't say no. Spencer caught up with Jack easily and the boy dropped his ball to the ground and started to kick it around. Spencer moved quickly and kicked the ball back towards Jack. The boy looked at him like he was in shock. He wondered if Spencer had ever reached out to him or if it was Aaron who never let him. 

"You can play?"

"Not really but I have looked at moves and read some books on soccer. I can probably teach you some. Would you like that?" 

"YES!" Jack screamed. 

"Jack!" Aaron chastised. 

"Sorry, Dad. I'm just really excited. Spencer said that he was going to teach me some soccer moves!" 

"He is?"

"He said he read some books and he's looked at the moves."

Spencer smiled at Aaron and kicked the ball a little farther out in the field. Jack followed it and Spencer followed him. Aaron set himself up on the edge of the field and watched them for almost two hours as Spencer went over all the moves that Jack could do at his age and dexterity. The first time that Spencer passed by where Aaron was standing, he tried to kiss him but Aaron ducked away. So Spencer decided to just ignore him. For two hours, Spencer gave all of his focus to Jack. Jealousy wasn't an emotion that his Aaron had ever displayed so it took Spencer almost an hour to place the emotion on his face. Jack ran to Aaron for drinks of his water while Spencer grabbed his own from where he'd set it after he'd taken it from his bag. 

After two hours, Jack was tired and he flopped on his back in the grass. Spencer laid down beside him except on his side. The ball was on the ground between them and Spencer started to roll it back and forth. Jack was panting from running the length of the field as he'd learning ways to better handle the ball. He was as much a natural as his Jack was at the sport. 

"Most of it is understanding your own body and how others move as well."

"And physics. Our coach talks about physics and tells us that as we get better and older we will understand the science behind soccer more."

"He is right. Knowing how hard to kick and with which part of your foot to use, helps in understanding where it will go and how quickly. It's not so much the numbers as just understanding. When you get older and better at soccer, you'll be able to predict where a ball kicked by someone else is going based on how quick their foot moves, where the ball is when it's hit, and what part of the foot hits it."

"Is that how goalies know where the ball is going to enter their net?"

"The really good ones, yes." 

"Can we watch games and you show me what you mean by all of that?" Jack asked. He smiled at Spencer before opening his mouth to talk again. "Dad has DVDs of FIFA games that I can watch."

"We can do that sometime." Spencer would enjoy that. With his Jack getting older, he studied games on his own now and didn't need him as much to help him analyse it all. 

"Dad says that you and he are dating now. That things are going to change and that there will be times that you and him want to do things alone."

"Sometimes we will want to have dinner alone and have other alone time." Spencer leaned a little more towards Jack, resting his arm on the ball and laying his hand on Jack's belly. Jack didn’t remember when his parents were married, Spencer was sure, given the age he was when it happened. All he could remember was the aftermath of it. Spencer wasn't sure if Haley ever dated. "Didn't your mom go on dates?"

"I don't know. There were nights where I stayed with Aunt Jessica before Mom died. Mom just said she needed some her time. Do you think that’s what she was doing?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that your Dad and I wanting time alone with each other does not mean that he and I don't want to spend time with you." Spencer rolled the ball to the side and rolled on his stomach. "You like to spend time with friends right?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to spend all your time with your friends?"

"As much as I can."

"But to spend time with your friends, you have to not spend time with your Dad."

"Yes." Jack was looking at him puzzled.

"Think of it like that. Your dad has to choose between you and his friends. He wants to spend all of his time with you but sometimes he wants to spend time with his friends. And that's what your Dad and I are. We are friends."

"Who kiss."

"Who kiss."

"Kissing is ucky."

"You won't always think that. You liked the kisses your Mom gave you and you still like the kisses that your Dad and Aunt give you. But one day, you'll want to show someone else that you like them. But it's not something you do to everyone. You don't kiss all your friends. You'll know the friends you want to be more than friends with and want to kiss."

"Like you and Daddy?"

"Exactly like that."

"What does it feel like?" 

"For your dad and I it was different. We worked together for so long but when I first started to think about him that way, he'd make my heart race. My palms would get sweaty. I'd have to double think everything before saying anything. When we kissed the first time, my heart skipped a beat and my mind went blank." Spencer had to stop himself from starting the story that his Jack liked to hear time and time again. The rest of it wouldn't fit the idea that Jack had of his father. 

"That sounds confusing." Jack sighed as he looked up into the sky.

"It is."

"When will I start to have to keep an eye out for the uckiness?"

"Puberty."

"I don't want puberty to happen to me."

"Well, Jack. You can't stop it. It happens to everyone, boy or girl."

"And we can't stop it?"

"No."

"UGH!" Jack sighed even louder and flopped his arms up and then down. Spencer tried to hold in his laugh but Jack side glanced at him for a second and then was on the move. Spencer didn't react, waiting to see what he would do. When Jack climbed up onto his back, Spencer looked back at him, seeing hands going right for Spencer's sides. Jack's hands were hesitant but not soft enough that it didn't set his nerves alight. He laughed as Jack tickled at him. Spencer held back the tears that were threatening to fall down his face. Jack stopped when Aaron stepped up to them. Jack sat up straight on his back and Spencer tilted his head up to look. That jealous look was back on his face and Spencer felt better for it. No one who loved another would be jealous of him and his son spending time together. Them bonding meant that Jack wouldn't balk at being on the side when they did go on dates. It meant that they'd have a happier life. 

"Jack, I think a stop at the house for a shower would be a good idea."

"Okay, Daddy." Jack held up his hands and Aaron picked him up off of Spencer and set him down on the ground. Spencer raised himself up to his knees but Aaron was moving away with Jack in tow. Spencer smirked as he grabbed the soccer ball. Aaron had already picked up everything except Spencer's bag. Spencer grabbed it and walked at a slow pace after them. He watched the sway of Aaron's hips, the play of his muscles as he opened the door. The trunk popped and Spencer placed the ball in it. As he rounded the car to get into the front seat, the back seat window rolled down. "Spencer will you sit in the back with me?"

"Sure." Spencer sidetracked back around the back of the car and slipped into the seat behind Aaron's. When they were on their way, after Spencer made sure that Jack was safe in his booster seat, Spencer caught the eye of Aaron in the mirror often during the drive, looking at him. He tried to ignore it and focus on Jack but it was no avail. He couldn't help but stare at the face staring back at him. 

A quick stop at Aaron's apartment and Spencer followed them up into it. He stayed in the living room, finding a comfortable spot on the couch to read while Aaron had Jack shower quickly. Spencer savored the words on the page, reading slowly as he listened with an open ear to the rooms at the back of the apartment. If Aaron wanted to have a happy home as well as a happy life, he had to learn to share, and Spencer was all for making sure that he learned that. 

When they finally sat down at the diner table, another corner booth, Spencer smiled into his menu like the cat that got the cream when instead of sliding in on his father's side, Jack slipped in on Spencer's. Spencer, though, made sure to include Aaron in all of the conversations, from soccer to school, to heroes and everything in between. Still, he wasn't shocked when he was dropped off at his apartment with Aaron talking about breakfast with Jessica. He entered his apartment and settled in with his collar around his neck and cuffs on his hands before settling into bed and chaining himself in. 

The ache of missing his lover and his son was great and he cried himself to sleep.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

“Are you seriously stupid?” Spencer didn’t yell, didn’t raise his voice even. He didn’t have to. The junior law clerk stood there, shaking, as he held the file up to her face and glared. It was the look he had perfected over the years when dealing with particularly manipulative UnSubs.

“You filled out the evidentiary forms completely wrong, as well as the transfer requests, the hearing request, and the re-trial forms. What the fucking hell were you thinking? This case is not only a high-priority case, but it can set precedent for criminals with Shared Delusional Disorder. Your fuck-up could have cost Mr. Hotchner, and in turn this firm, not only the case, but his reputation. Now, I will ask you again, what the hell were you doing that you screwed-up this badly?” Spencer didn’t waver as he stood there and glared.

“I, I, I’m sorry Dr. Reid. I, was trying to manager my time like you told me. I worked on several files at the same time that had similar requests...” The girl’s voice trailed off as Spencer’s scowl deepened.

“By managing your time I didn’t mean for you to do something this incredibly stupid. Bring me all the files you were working on. I want to see just how much you screwed-up. Then, and only then, will I talk to Mr. Hotchner and make a decision on whether he should fire your ass or not.” Spencer marched her out of the office and pointed towards her desk.

He shut the door and went back to his own desk and set the file down. He’d have to re-do the requests before three o’clock that afternoon or else they would lose their window of opportunity to get them in on time for consideration. He looked-up sharply when he heard the door click shut and the lock engage and the automatic blinds slide down.

“Stand-up, strip, and bend over the desk. After that little display I want to fuck you here and now.” Aaron growled as he walked-up to Spencer, a dark smoldering need was simmering in his eyes.

Spencer didn’t even argue as he quickly undressed and practically ran to the desk, which already had a soft towel draped across the middle.

“Ho-how long were you here?”

“Long enough Pet. Now, bend over.” Spencer squeaked at the tone in Aaron’s voice, but he complied. He was startled to realize just how hard he was. Aaron didn’t even prepare him as he was quickly impaled with the man’s hard cock.

“Fuck,” Spencer screamed out as hands gripped his hips in a hard bruising hold. His mouth went dry as he gripped the opposite edge of the desk for a hand hold while he was fucked into hard and fast.

“Fuck Spencer, that was hot,” Aaron growled as he pistoned his hips and pushed in and out of Spencer’s tight hole over and over. “To see you let go, to see you becoming more, fuck.” 

Spencer lost all ability of speech as he was pounded into, his hard cock rubbing against the towel causing friction. He was babbling, pleading, but he knew he would only be allowed to cum when Aaron wanted him to.

“So beautiful, all splayed out on my desk for me.” Aaron loosened one hand and trailed it down Spencer’s back, tracing the large tattoo that had been started just ten days prior. At the bottom was an intricate picture of a man slumped over in sleep on top of an ornate desk. The messy curly hair framed a model perfect face. Behind was a bookcase that took up Spencer’s entire back. Only a part of one shelf was filled in. A small section of books lined the upper right shoulder, with one open and a quote written inside. The quote was from Edmund Spenser’s _The Faerie Queene._

_Him so I sought, and so at last I found, Where him that witch had thralled to her will,_  
In chaines of lust and lewd desires ybound, And so transformed from his former skill,  
That me he knew not, neither his own ill. 

Spencer chose it for two reasons, one of which was that it was one of his Mother’s favorite books, and two, he very much identified with the quote. Aaron was gently tracing the book with his fingers enjoying the mark on the younger man. He leaned down flush with Spencer’s back and licked at the tattoo which had the man in question shuddering under him. He stayed in the position, practically fully dressed except for the cock buried in Spencer’s ass.

“Fuck, cum Spencer,” he growled close to Spencer’s ear who immediately obeyed cumming against the towel as he was pressed into the desk. Aaron crowed as he felt that tight heat pulse around him, then he too was cumming.

Aaron stretched his arms out to cover Spencer, his fingers lacing with his lover’s. He sucked a mark on his neck, and bit down hard, but not enough to draw blood. They stayed there like that for a few minutes panting from the effort. Finally, Aaron pulled out when he felt himself soften.

Holding his pants up Aaron went to the bathroom and cleaned-up, then Spencer stood and did the same. When he came back into the office he quickly dressed and slid boneless into his chair.

Aaron kneeled between Spencer’s legs and gripped his chin.

“You’re letting go, becoming more than what you were. Standing-up for yourself, losing that shyness. You're not pretending anymore are you?”

Spencer swallowed hard as he bit his lip looking into Aaron’s hard, dark eyes.

“No.” And that had made Spencer hurt. He was changing, slotting too easily into Aaron’s world and it made him afraid. He wasn’t sure how much of the old Spencer would be left if he ever got back to his world. The one thing that had the potential to break his heart was leaving Jack. He had come to care very deeply for the boy, and Jack had come to care very much for this Spencer.  
“And this makes you sad.”

Spencer closed his eyes a moment to calm himself. “Yes. I don’t know how much of me will be left if I ever do find my way home. But I know in these few weeks that I’ve changed on a fundamental level. You, you’ve changed me.” He swallowed against the dryness of his throat.

“No, I’ve only shown you what you’ve been afraid of. If you didn’t want it, you would never have become what I saw when I walked into this office. And your submission, that isn’t false either Spencer. No one has been able to calm all those voices in your head, have they?”

Spencer frowned, but didn’t even try to get out of Aaron’s hold.

“No. It’s constant and…”

“You sometimes feel like you are going to go crazy.”

“Can we not talk about this right now? I have requests to re-do and Marnie needs to bring me the files she fucked-up.” Spencer glared and crossed his arms. He knew he was retreating a little and they would hash this out later, but he needed to refocus and work was always a good outlet for him.

“Alright, but we _will_ talk about this later.”

The lock was being disengaged and Marnie brought the files over to Spencer. He just told her to get back to her desk and work on the letters that Aaron wanted written.

Spencer spent the better part of the early afternoon re-doing the reports and requests, when they were all straightened out he told Aaron the Heathridge requests were ready. Aaron took them and went quickly through them. Signing his approval, he called for the firms courier to have them taken to the courthouse to get filed.

Spencer went back to his desk and decided that it was time he did some research on Foyet and why the man was a danger to Aaron and his businesses. After about two hours and copious notes he had some of the puzzle worked out, or so he thought.

Turning towards Aaron, Spencer took a moment to gather his thoughts before he spoke.

“Why is Foyet after you?”

Aaron looked-up sharply and narrowed his eyes.

“There are a few reasons. He doesn’t like my connections to very powerful people. His original team is…” Aaron smiled almost cruelly, “Gone because they couldn’t keep their noses out of my business.”

“You,” Spencer shut his eyes a moment to get himself under control. He did not want to get punished again, that wasn’t pleasant. The chastity cage he was forced to wear had been painful, but it was a reminder that he walked a very fine line in this world. “You had them killed.”

“Yes. And you don’t know how to reconcile that. It’s okay, you’ll understand soon.”

“But that still doesn’t explain this obsession he has for you.”

Aaron put his pen down and leaned back in his chair, and Spencer felt like he was being examined like a bug under a microscope.

“Jack’s mother, Haley. I... seduced her, well, partially anyway. I never had sex with her, but I wanted a child. Someone for Spencer and I. She came willingly and I explained what I wanted. At first, she was more than willing, then she walked in on Spencer and I. It was the day I gave him my most precious mark.”

Spencer swallowed hard as he wondered what Aaron meant. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to know.

“Wha-what did you do?”

“I carved a rune above his heart. Odal.”

“Possession? You carved the Proto-Germanic rune for possession on a person?”

Aaron smiled that shark like smile that Spencer had come to learn was a very dangerous look. When it came to his Spencer, Aaron did not like to be questioned.

“He helped pick it out. Do not think that anything we did was without consent. Just like with you.” Spencer curled his hands into fists as the words hit him hard and made his stomach churn.

“Anyway, she came upon us and had a meltdown. I had to sedate her. She was inseminated, and nine months later, we had Jack. Except the traitorous little bitch tried to run with Spencer's and my child. I found her on the way to her lover’s house. I took Jack, gave him to Spencer and I dealt with Haley. It was only later I found out she had been fucking Foyet behind my back. He wants evidence that I had something to do with her death.”

Spencer thought he was going to be sick. His Aaron had loved Haley, even though they had problems in their marriage, he still had loved her. To hear this Aaron speak about the woman like he had made Spencer shudder in disgust.

“So his whole vendetta is because you killed his lover.” Spencer wiped his face and that lack of self preservation that he sometimes had reared its ugly head. “What makes you think I won’t go to him, tell him all of this?”

Aaron stood and faster than he knew what was happening Spencer was pulled out of his chair and slammed against the wall.

“Because if you leave, if you breathe one word of any of our conversations, you have no chance in hell of ever getting home. I will have Charlie committed, the lab destroyed, and you will have the cell next to Jason, do you understand?”

“You would take the risk of stranding your lover in my world?”

“To keep him safe, to keep myself safe, yes. It would be better then him coming back here to nothing. So, if you want to have even that slim chance of getting home, you will have no contact with Foyet unless I say so.” Aaron’s eyes were black and hard with anger and Spencer was reminded once again at the dangerous game he was playing.

All Spencer could do was swallow as he shook, but he didn’t back down. He stared Aaron down and nodded his acquiescence. 

“Good.” Aaron let him go and straightened his clothes for him. “We understand each other perfectly then.”

“Yes,” Spencer growled as he tamped down on his anger. He was in deep and he knew it. It also didn’t help that he was falling in love with a man he hated, and that was just fucking with his head even more.

Spencer didn’t have time to wallow when there was a knock on the office door and Aaron looked surprised. There was nothing on his calendar for the day. Frowning, Aaron stood and, buttoning his jacket-up he made his way to his office door and opened it.

“Alex, this is a surprise,” Spencer was startled by the genuine affection he heard in Aaron’s voice. Then he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in quite a while. He stood and walked towards Aaron.

“Aaron,” Alex leaned in and hugged Aaron, then had a fond smile on her face as she walked in and toward Spencer. “Spencer,” she said softly as she pulled him in for a hug. “I must say this is a surprise. I’ve been worried, but didn’t want to jump to any conclusions on what happened to you.”

Aaron cleared his throat and motioned for Alex to follow him. He went to his desk and hit a hidden switch that slid open the bookcases on the east wall where the the bathroom was located. A room that Spencer didn’t know was there revealed itself as the bookcase was moved aside.

Not saying a word Aaron motioned for them both to follow him inside. Once in, he flipped a switch so the bookcase closed again.

“What is this?” Alex asked amused as she looked around. There was a small table, a closed circuit television, and a telephone that Aaron or whoever was in there could call out on.

“A room that no listening devices of any kind can get through. Alex, what’s going on?”

“Spencer, you didn’t tell him? That’s not like you, and I was getting worried because you hadn’t done anything for a while.” 

Spencer looked to Aaron for guidance and all Aaron did was give a slight nod.

“I’m not your Spencer.” He then went on to explain the accident. Alex couldn’t keep the expression of incredulity off her face as she looked at him. 

“You’re serious.”

“Show her.”

Spencer scrunched up his face as he took off the vest, jacket, and shirt he was wearing. Showing off his unmarred skin. 

“Okay, I believe you. Here, the list of new agents. He’s put together a new team, but the Director has told him several times to back off of you. He’s trying to obtain several warrants for the firm, the charity foundation, and for Grimes Tech. Jackson, as you know, will protect you.”

“Wait, Jackson Grimes? _The_ Jackson Grimes? You know him?”

“More than know him, I own 52% of shares in Grimes Tech. We’re business partners and friends. He’s been out of the country for a couple of months getting a new eco-friendly plant up and running in Japan. I haven’t heard that he’s back yet, but I’m sure Foyet and his snooping will bring him back.”

“He wants me to gather as much information from any correspondence that he gets a warrant for. Do not worry, there’s a judge I know who is very much of the mind that government agents should not be harassing individual citizens unless they have probable cause. There is no probable cause to come after you. He is reaching and the Director knows it.”

“Thank you Alex. He doesn’t suspect you at all?”

Alex smiled, “No, he has no idea that the grants given to James came from you, nor does he know that with those grants James was able to save Ethan. Your Black Queen has buried that connection so deep that not even Kevin has been able to find anything.”

Aaron smiled that impish smile of his and Spencer hated just how much it turned him on.

“Thank you. Just watch yourself. I’d hate for anything to happen to you because of me. Thank you, Alex.”

“Not a problem Aaron. You take care Spencer.” Aaron let her out of the room then escorted her out. Spencer went back to his desk to ponder just what the hell was going on.

“How do you know Alex? And how do you know she’ll be loyal to you?”

“I’ve known Alex and James for a number of years. We met at a fundraiser for my foundation. They told me of the problems James was having getting grants for his research into finding a treatment for his son. I greased a few palms and got his grants for him. They were able to find, not necessarily a cure, but a treatment for their son. When her brother was murdered, I looked into it, and took care of it. She and James are grateful for my help.”

Spencer thought again about how Aaron gave the people loyal to him exactly what they wanted and needed. He never asked for anything in return, but they were there to help when the need arose. The dichotomy in Aaron confused the hell out of him. He had thought most of the good deeds were for show, and while he thought that was true, there was a genuine underlying kindness towards certain people that was just fucking with his head. Spencer didn’t know what to do with all this, he’d have to write it all down in the personal journal he kept separate from the one for this world’s Spencer. He just needed to make sense of it all.

* * *

“Aaron, what the hell are we doing?” Spencer was nervous. He was in a car he’d never seen Aaron in, with a man in back with a hood over his face.

“We are going someplace quiet where we can have a little chat with our friend back there.”

Spencer swallowed hard and tried not to ponder exactly what that was going to entail. He was silent as he turned towards Aaron, a question on his lips, but the expression on his lover’s face told him to back off. Sighing, he bit his lip and wondered just exactly what was going on. About an hour later they pulled up to a cabin and Aaron told him to get out of the car. He was then handed a black leather bag while Aaron pulled the man out of the back seat of the car. The man hadn’t said a word and that worried Spencer. The three of them went into the cabin.

When Aaron flicked on the switch Spencer’s nervousness went through the roof. It was a large single room with a chair in the middle of the floor, heavily bolted to the ground. Another chair was in front, but that one could be moved around. Two more chairs were just slightly back on either side of the room. Two hanging lamps were the only light. There was no bed, no kitchen. The only other furniture was a long heavy table to the left side of the cabin, an industrial size sink to the back and a large, deep claw foot tub to the rear right. The last thing that Spencer noticed was the tall heavily locked cabinet to the right as well.

“Aaron, what are we doing here?” Spencer swallowed hard as Aaron pushed the man into the chair, secured him with the chains and lockpick proof cuffs around wrists and ankles.

“Like I said, we are going to have a little chat with our friend here.” Aaron pulled off the hood and Spencer saw why the man hadn’t been talking. A ball gag had been secured around his mouth. Aaron unlocked that and took it off. He walked around and sat in one of the unbolted chairs, but not before telling Spencer to place the bag on the table. Spencer, however, was standing stock-still looking at the man in front of him, practically hyperventilating.

“Pet, I asked you to put the bag on the table.”

“What are you doing Aaron?”

Aaron narrowed his eyes as he stood and walked in front of Spencer. “What do you mean what am I doing? We are getting information, it’s what we do.” The cold flat tone of his voice shook Spencer to his core.

“Why him?”

“What do you mean why him? He’s the closest to Foyet currently that’s why.” Aaron cocked his head and stared him down. “You know him don’t you?”

Spencer wrung his hands together as he stared at the man in the chair.

“Ethan, his name is Ethan. We were best friends at CalTech. He decided not to go into the FBI, he took up playing piano full-time. Aaron, please, don’t do this.”

“What exactly do you think I’m going to do Pet?”

“I know exactly what you are going to do.” Spencer lowered his voice, but his nervousness came out as he whispered angrily, “You are going to torture him if he doesn’t give you what you want, aren’t you.”

Aaron lifted one brow as he smiled, an almost proud look on his face and it made Spencer sick to see it.

“Yes. Now, put the bag on the table, sit in the chair behind me and don’t say a word. If you leave, I will punish you, if you throw-up, I will punish you, if you try to help him in any way, I will punish you. Do you understand?” 

Spencer was shaking in both fear and anger as he glared at Aaron.

“Perfectly,” he bit out through clenched teeth as he practically threw the bag on the table. Moving quickly, he sat in the chair to the right and hoped like hell he could get through this. Aaron turned and went back to the bag. First he took out a pair of gloves and put them on. Then he carefully laid out several items on a small leather pad. Grabbing one of the items, Spencer saw that it was a thin, sharp stiletto. He closed his eyes and almost choked on the bile that rose up from his stomach.

Aaron sat in the chair and moved closer to Ethan who was looking at both men with a healthy amount of fear.

“Now, Agent Michaels, you are going to tell me everything about Foyet’s plan to try to stop me. If I feel that you are lying or holding back, I will be forced to use this.” Aaron leaned forward and placed the tip of the stiletto on Ethan’s cheek, while he had a hand on the man’s knee squeezing very hard.

Spencer saw the man swallow hard as he shook in the chair.

“Please, please, please I, I, I don’t know much. He only gives us a little bit at a time.” Aaron sighed and shook his head, He moved the knife slowly down Ethan’s cheek, over his neck then slit open his shirt, popping the buttons as he went. He placed the tip below the rib cage but out of the way of any vital organs.

“Now, see, I know you are lying. I have someone who knows all about your team and they told me that you, Agent Michaels, are Foyet’s right hand man. Now, let’s try this again. What are his plans for me and my companies?”

Ethan looked over to Spencer, eyes pleading for help. Spencer scrunched up his face and shook his head. There wasn’t anything he could do to help as the tears ran down his face. 

“I don’t know,” Ethan growled between clenched teeth, then screamed as the knife was slowly pushed inside him.

“I know just how much a human body can take, Agent. I can make this last for hours, and if I was so inclined, days. Though I’m not quite as talented as my Pet. Oh no, he studied the art of torture, even asked me if he could spend some time in Japan. He charmed a rather lovely submissive of the Yamaguchi-gumi clan of the Yakuza. Now, normally they don’t allow outsiders to learn their secrets, but a kyodai, one of the big brothers of the clan took a liking to him. Though I did not allow him to touch, he was allowed to watch and was enthralled by his submission. He was impressed that my Pet’s submission was total and complete and only for me. He decided to ask his Oyabun permission to train my Pet in his specialties, which were numerous. And, by extension, I was then taught.” Aaron pulled the knife out and taking the cloth he had grabbed from the bag, he cleaned off the blood. “I learned just the right places that a stiletto could slip in and not puncture any vital areas. I can, literally, do this all night.” Aaron plunged the knife in again and Ethan screamed.

Spencer lost track of time just how long Aaron was interrogating Ethan. He was hanging on by a thread, and thought he was going to be sick, or lose his mind, he wasn’t sure which. The bile in his throat wouldn’t go down, but he kept from throwing-up by sheer will alone.

When Spencer opened his eyes again, he noticed a garotte was around Ethan’s neck and Aaron had a small hammer in his hand. Spencer clenched his mouth shut.

“What Judge is issuing the warrants Agent?” Aaron asked in an oddly patient voice. Ethan was sweating and glaring at Aaron.

“You...won’t….get….away….with this,” Ethan stuttered out as he tried to swallow.

“You underestimate me. That has always been George’s problem, he has as well. We’ve been playing this game for too long and I mean to end it by any means necessary that will protect me and mine.”

“He’ll...take...you….” Spencer heard an ungodly howl as Aaron brought the tack hammer down on one of Ethan’s fingers.

“Now, you still have nine fingers left, and I know for a fact that you’ll still be able to play with that many, but, if I were to say, break your middle finger, then no more jazz for you Agent.”

Ethan’s eyes widened in horror, but Spencer knew it was an empty promise. He knew, as did Ethan, that he wasn’t leaving the cabin alive. Spencer slid out of the seat and curled up in the corner in a ball, covering his ears and closing his eyes, but it wasn’t quite enough to stop the sounds in the room. Then, just when Spencer couldn’t take anymore there was silence. Complete and utter silence.

He felt a hand on his hair and someone crouching beside him.

“It’s all over Pet. Stand up now.” Spencer slowly took his hands away from his ears and with Aaron’s help stood on shaky legs. “You did as you were told, I’m very proud of you, go to the car and wait for me. I’ll be right out, just have to take care of a few final details.” 

Spencer didn’t even consider running away, not after what he’d seen and heard. Still shaking, he slid into the back seat and laid down, curling in upon himself. It didn’t register when the vehicle started moving as he lost all track of time. Even when they got home he felt like he was just going through the motions. Aaron helped to strip him, then picked him up bridal style and carried him into the bathroom where he was bathed and taken care of. Spencer had retreated inside his mind after what had happened, and even he wasn’t sure if he was going to come back out. His one and only thought was that Aaron was a monster.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer settled back into the front passenger seat of the car. Aaron was driving and they had just dropped off Jack at a friend's house for a sleepover. Jack had been a right terror for the past week and it was all on Aaron since he had refused to allow contact between his lover and son. If it wasn't for the fact that Spencer knew Aaron wasn't realizing exactly how much it was hurting Jack, he would have said something before then. Aaron had to come to terms with everything on his own. It was now the weekend and after a short uneventful case mid-week, the team was going to be on stand down for the weekend.

The way Aaron was driving and acting told Spencer that he knew something was up with the man and he wondered if it was just Jack and Spencer and their bonding or if it was something more.

Jack had stolen his father's cell phone and called Spencer to come over that morning. Spencer had been tempted to just show up but instead he'd told Jack that he'd see what he had to do that he couldn't put off. After a few minutes, he called the house phone. Aaron had answered and Spencer asked if he'd asked Jack to invite him over for the day. The phone had been muffled but Spencer could tell that Aaron was upset. Still, he'd been invited over. 

The car stopped and Spencer came out of his zone-out to find that they were back at Aaron's building. Spencer was under the impression that he was going to be dropped off at his apartment, and grew suspicious. Aaron moved around the car and opened his door. He thought that perhaps something good was about to happen, but when Aaron wrapped his arm around his shoulder and gripped his upper arm tightly, he knew that something was going to happen. He just wasn't sure if it was good or not.

When they reached the elevator, Spencer expected Aaron to release him, but he didn't. Thankfully there was no one else inside and when he opened his mouth to say something, his arm was squeezed, hard. Spencer closed his mouth with an audible click. The pressure released on his arm but the hand didn't go away. When the car stopped on the third floor and a woman got on, Aaron shuffled him into the corner, away from her. A shiver went down Spencer's spine. He wanted to know exactly what was going through Aaron's mind at that moment, but knew that asking would get him nothing. 

Spencer was only released when they got to Aaron's front door. But it wasn't for long. As soon as the door was shut and the alarm was armed, Aaron turned to face him. The look on his face was unreadable. The man toed off his shoes and Spencer did so as well, putting them in a line with Aaron's on the little mat next to the door. 

"What exactly are you trying to pull with Jack?" accused Aaron.

"What do you mean?" There was no one better at feigning innocence than he. Aaron once said he could convince God himself that he was as pure as the driven snow. 

"You have been driving a wedge between him and I since last weekend."

"No," Spencer said shaking his head back and forth. "No. I'm just trying to bond with him." Spencer opened his mouth to say something else but he stopped suddenly when he saw pure anger appear on Aaron's face. His eyes though, he’d seen those eyes before. In the just starting on their path Doms that passed through their lives. He crowed inside and tried not to drop to his knees. He had to be really careful or Aaron would run. He had to teach Aaron how to release his anger safely. And that was going to be tricky since he would have to push him. 

"What about this morning?" Aaron's voice was raised high, higher than Spencer had even heard this Aaron talk. "What the fucking hell was that?"

"Jack called me, Aaron. I promise. He called and I didn't hear you in the background. So I called the house phone." Spencer started to back up when Aaron advanced on him. He remembered where everything in the room was so instead of dodging the stand at the end of the couch, he kind of tripped on it. He was just about to fall onto his ass but Aaron grabbed his arms and held him up. 

"You've wanted little to do with him and then all of a sudden you want to be best friends with him."

"No, Aaron. No," Spencer pleaded. 

"What do you hope to gain by this?" Aaron glared at him and then let him go with a shove. Spencer stumbled and couldn't gain his own feet so he fell back onto his ass. Aaron loomed over him and Spencer knew that he was close to losing him. Aaron was right on the anger that would either turn him into what his Aaron was or what their father had been. If he went down that path, Aaron would never forgive himself. 

So Spencer lowered his head so that he wasn't looking Aaron in the eye and he shifted to his knees. Next he tilted his head so that his neck was showing, just slightly. "I just want him to like me."

"By taking all of his attention!" Aaron was yelling again. Spencer swallowed letting out a whimper. 

"NO!" Spencer said lowly but emphatically. "We had that breakfast and you sat him away from me. I wasn't sure what that meant. You don't trust me with him and I didn't know why. So I thought that if I just tried to show you that I liked..."

Spencer didn't get any farther in his carefully constructed lie as a hand grabbed the back of his head and jerked his face up to stare at Aaron. Spencer lowered his eyes away from Aaron's after a quick second. He wasn't expecting the kiss that came out of nowhere. It was brutal and full of just a little too much anger for Spencer's liking but he could work with it. 

Aaron shoved his tongue into his mouth with no finesse and Spencer didn't kiss back as much as react to it. His instinct was to kiss back but he needed to keep it in control. He submitted to the kiss and when Aaron leaned into him more, he allowed himself to fall all the way onto his back. Aaron straddled his waist and pressed him into the carpeted floor. 

Surging up to press Spencer's head farther into the floor, Aaron's hands settled on Spencer's chest seemingly tracing down to his belt and then back up but before he could even process, he heard a rip and felt the pressure of his shirt being ripped open. The buttons made small thudding sounds on the carpet and one bounced off a table leg with a clink. Aaron was possessing his mouth and Spencer was already so hard that he ached. He reached up to touch and his hands were slammed back down onto the floor faster than he could process. The fight wasn't forgotten, Spencer would make sure of that but this, holy hell he wanted this so much. He yearned to feel owned, to be fucked. Sex with Aaron had been disturbing vanilla and he could feel it under the man's skin that he wanted to mark, to bite, to claim.

"Don't," Aaron whispered as his mouth burned a trail from lips to ear. "Be good." Aaron found the pulse point on his neck and licked at it. He moved down slowly, tracing every inch of skin with his tongue before he nipped at Spencer's collarbone. Spencer wasn't moving other than to breath and it was getting difficult to even do that with his blood boiling inside his skin. Spencer clenched his hands into fists. He was a good boy and he could keep his hands off but he knew it would be hard. He laid there while Aaron explored, leaving bite marks everywhere. He was afraid that moving would scare or further anger Aaron. Aaron took his time moving farther down and down his still body. Spencer bit his lips to stop himself from begging. That time would come later. It would come when Aaron was fucking him. Aaron sat up and moved away. Spencer opened his eyes to look, afraid that Aaron was having second thoughts. But the man ripped his shirt off and grabbed Spencer’s legs, spreading them so he could slip in between them. 

"Aaron, please," Spencer begged, it unintentionally slipping from his lips. Aaron just stared down at him. The older man reached out and trailed his hand from his hip to his knee. He cupped that knee and drew it up. When Aaron trailed the other hand from hip to knee, Spencer didn't need any help getting that leg up. Aaron's hands moved to his belt and it was unhooked and pulled from his pants before he worked on the button and zipper. His pants were jerked off his hips as hard as Aaron could. They were thrown somewhere behind them and Spencer grabbed the carpet as hard as he could. 

Aaron cupped him through his underwear, gripping his cock tight in the fabric. Spencer thrust up into his hand but Aaron firmly held down his hips. He roughly stroked his cock and Spencer couldn't hold back the moan. 

"That's it, Spencer. Don't hold it in. No one is going to hear you but me. No one is ever going to hear you like this but me." Aaron pressed his hand down harder on his hip and when he was on the top of his jerk, he ran his thumb over the head of Spencer's cock. Spencer's whole body started to shake. He slumped down to the floor and just gave in. "You're beautiful like this. Spread on my floor. Are you close?"

Spencer nodded, not trusting his voice.

"Then come." Aaron's hand was hard on his cock and he came with a cry. Spencer's back arched up and he near screamed. Aaron jerked him through his orgasm and only stopped when it became way too much on his sensitive cock. He slumped down to the floor and laid there. Aaron worked on fully removing Spencer’s underwear and used them to clean him up. Spencer didn't realize that he'd closed his eyes until he opened them up and saw Aaron standing up. 

"Where are you going?"

"Getting naked so you can suck me." Aaron started on his shirt first. By the time that he was bending down to take his pants off, Spencer was on shaky knees. Aaron grabbed his hair and held him where he wanted him. "Open."

Spencer opened his mouth and closed his eyes. Aaron fed him his cock and Spencer relaxed his throat the second that the head of his cock touched. He swallowed Aaron all the way down until he bottomed out. He braced his legs better and clasped his hands behind his back so that he couldn't be tempted to touch. 

Aaron set up a brutal pace, fucking his mouth fast and hard. He'd let go completely. Taking what he wanted from Spencer and giving him no option but take it. It wasn't long before Spencer could hear the telltale signs from Aaron's mouth that he was close. Spencer didn't want to swallow his release, not yet. He wanted fucked and he wanted fucked hard. 

Before he could do anything about it, Aaron pulled free of his mouth, releasing his hair. Spencer was spun around and pushed on his hands and knees. He could feel the heat from Aaron's body as he settled along his back. Spencer dropped down to his elbows, using the position to look back at Aaron. His eyes were black with lust and he was totally focused on Spencer's ass. 

Hands parted his cheeks and Spencer wondered exactly what was going to happen when he felt spit land on his hole. His cheeks were parted even more and the stretch had him moaning. A finger chased the spit as it tried to roll farther away and then was pressing inside of him. As he was still spread, it had to be a thumb and when more spit landed and a second finger pushed inside him as well, he groaned. The two thumbs pushed into him all the way to the second knuckle and Spencer could feel his cock hardening again. 

Spencer cried out in pleasure when he felt the thumbs pulling him open. He knew what was going to happen before he felt the spit drop down onto his hole. He was held open as it was worked down inside him. Spencer shifted so that he could brace himself for the hard fucking he knew was coming. By the time Aaron was done, Spencer was sure his hole was wrecked, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting that cock inside him. He clenched and released his hole open and closed, only stopping when the head of Aaron's cock pressed in at him. He inhaled and exhaled quickly as the cock slid into him a little faster than he would have thought Aaron had intended.

The burn and stretch was delicious to him though. Aaron was all the way inside of him and he moaned. He heard a rustle and looked to see Aaron wiping his hands on the remains of Spencer's shirt. As soon as he was done, he grabbed Spencer's hips in a grip so tight that he knew it would bruise. He then pulled out and thrust back in as hard as he could. 

Aaron fucked him hard and fast. Spencer could feel the heat building on his legs as the friction against the rug burned his knees. The brutality had Spencer’s cock aching with pleasure, but his years of submission allowed him to easily control those urges. 

One of Aaron's hands slipped up his back, pressing in along his spine and making Spencer bow his back downward. The only noises escaping both of them were pants and exhales and moans. The hand pressed on his shoulder blades and Spencer moved like Aaron wanted him, down. Down all the way down to where his shoulders were pressed to the floor, his head turned so he could breathe. He was thankful that he'd kept up his yoga and exercises that Aaron had him do in his world in this one, otherwise, he'd never be able to do this for long. He breathed using his stomach and screamed as Aaron shifted to hit his prostate on every single thrust. His entire body was shaking by the time Aaron grabbed his hair again and pulled him up. He braced himself on his hands as his hair was used to pull him back onto Aaron's cock even harder with every single thrust. 

His Aaron knew how to make his body sing but this Aaron was staking a claim and it was animalistic and hard and just what Spencer’s body needed. 

"Come," Aaron said in a harsh and authoritative tone and Spencer yielded. He screamed out an orgasm but steadied himself on his knees as Aaron refused to allow him to relax forward. His prostate was hit with every thrust and it was keeping him suspended in orgasm. Despite his growing sensitivity Spencer refused to move away from Aaron until he was released from his grip. 

Aaron let go of his hair and grabbed his hips again, slamming into him so hard that he almost pushed him to the ground. Aaron didn't scream but rather gasped, and Spencer could feel the pain of the man’s hands gripping his hips grow sharp and constant. When Aaron let go of him, Spencer slumped to the floor, rolling slightly to miss the wet spot. He looked up at Aaron and could see that he was still a little high. Spencer reached out with a hand and pulled him down cradling his body between still shaking thighs. Aaron kissed him gently. Spencer kissed him back with passion, the endorphins in his body making him pliant. He knew that the crash would come for Aaron. A crash where he would realize exactly what he had done, but Spence hoped that they were wrapped around each other in bed after a quick shower when it would happen. 

Spencer allowed the kiss for several minutes before he pulled away. "Let's go get clean." The spot on the floor would have to be cleaned up but they had until Jack got back the next afternoon. When Aaron stood up, he pulled Spencer with him, and seemingly headed to the bathroom on auto pilot. Spencer followed, eagerly watching the man to see his intent. 

Aaron touched him slowly while they were showering. He used a soft cloth to wipe down his entire body, tendering cleaning between his cheeks. The pain was a reminder to Spencer of what he'd just convinced Aaron to do. The silence though was deafening. Spencer turned quickly and worked the cloth out of Aaron's hand as their bodies pressed together slightly. They locked eyes and Spencer slowly began washing Aaron’s body. Aaron opened his mouth to protest but Spencer forcefully kissed him and continued. 

"You took care of me, let me take care of you." he whispered.

"But I don't des..." Aaron stopped speaking when Spencer covered his mouth with his slightly soapy hand. 

"Did I say no at any point?" Spencer asked. Aaron just shook his head, but his eyes pleaded to speak though he didn’t attempt to break from Spencer’s hold.. "While we should have established a safe word before we started, all your anger is gone isn't it?" 

Aaron nodded. 

"See. It's all fine. I could barely stay up, you know... on my hands and knees. It was only your hands on my hips, holding me there that kept me up. I've never had any other lover fuck me so well that I almost forgot my name." Spencer reached up with his free hand and directed the spray onto Aaron's face as he pulled his other hand away. The water washed the soap away then Spencer was kissing him. He slipped his tongue into Aaron's mouth and pressed him into the wall of the shower. "Do you think I'd be here if I thought you would hurt me or if you had scared me? I've seen your anger and I know you'd never hurt me or Jack. I know I am safe with you."

"I liked it," Aaron ashamedly whispered almost so soft that Spencer didn't hear him. He pulled back and looked Aaron in the eyes.

"Which part?" Spencer wanted to know which one was giving him the most hangups.

"I don't. I can't." Aaron shook his head, sealing his mouth shut. 

"The part where you jerked me to ograsm on the floor? The part where you fucked my mouth so hard that I'm going to have a scratchy throat until morning." Spencer reached down and even though he'd been throughly fucked and he'd already come twice, he was getting hard again. He looked down and saw that Aaron was half hard as well. Aaron moaned and his head fell back against the wall, eyes shut tight. Spencer grabbed the conditioner and spread some on his hand before he reached back down, taking them both in hand. "I know you liked the part where you held me open and spit into me before you fucked me. That I wanted you so much I didn't even voice a single protest. That I couldn't think with your cock inside of me to even beg for more."

"Spencer," Aaron begged. He reached out and up, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing. Spencer dropped down to his knees, wincing at the impact. He leaned back to allow the water to wash off Aaron's cock before he swallowed it whole. Despite his sore throat, he wanted this badly. Aaron's hand was hesitant in his hair but he didn't push it. He'd work slowly on getting him to let go when not angry. Aaron though made a strange noise and Spencer pulled off his cock, long before he was ready to and looked up at him. Aaron moved back out of the spray of water and pulled Spencer with him. He followed across the tile of the shower on his knees, locking eyes with Aaron the entire time. He watched as the black of Aaron's eyes grew larger and larger. He didn't even have to say a thing, Aaron used his thumb to push down on Spencer's jaw and then slid his cock inside of his mouth. 

"You make me feel like a teenager again. You make me want to never stop touching you." Aaron groaned as he pushed farther into Spencer's mouth. Spencer relaxed to take him all the way and Aaron set up a pace that wasn't as fast or as hard as before but it was every bit as satisfying. Aaron's hand in his hair, gripping tightly, keeping him where he wanted him as he fucked his face. He lost himself in the pleasure of it. The pleasure he got from it. His Aaron loved to fuck him, no matter how he did it. But if Spencer had to choose a way, he loved sucking Aaron's cock. Oh, he loved Aaron fucking him but he loved to drop to his knees after feeling the sting of the whip or flogger and getting his face fucked. 

"I'm jealous of whoever you learned all of this from," Aaron panted as he pushed all the way in before coming. His cock was all the way in his mouth as he released, Spencer could feel the swell of his cock and groaned before Aaron pulled out to where at least some of it bathed his tongue. Spencer tongued at his cock until there was nothing left on it. He thought about how Aaron was jealous of himself. He followed the pull on his hair to stand. Aaron pressed him into the wall. "Jerk yourself off."

"Yes, S-" Spencer caught himself before he called him Sir. He took his cock in hand and started to pleasure himself. He felt Aaron bracket him, his heat all encompassing. Aaron's eyes were on his cock. He didn't look away. Spencer came a few strokes later. He slumped a little, his body worn out. Aaron moved to wash his release off his body, then helped him out of the shower. He hadn't came three times in that short of an amount of time in a while. 

Aaron was perfect. Spencer knew that he couldn't fall asleep, they had to talk. Even if he had to force Aaron to talk now.

"What are you afraid of, Aaron?" Spencer asked after they were in bed, Aaron's arms wrapped around him tight. 

"You have never tried to get that close to Jack." Aaron's voice was low but not like he was falling asleep.

"We were just friends before and you kept him at arm's length, even after we started to get closer. That was fine but as soon as you and I became more, the arm's length hurt. I thought if I showed you I was willing, you'd see it and be happy that I was trying, not jealous. I'm not trying to take him away. I am just trying to get to know my lover's child."

"You are close with Henry but you've never tried to talk to other kids before. The Reid Effect has never gone away."

"Kids don't understand me, that is true, but why would I attempt to get to know a child that I will only ever get to see once?. Jack is your son. I thought that you'd want me trying to get to know him better."

"I do. I guess I just haven't had to share him before and I guess it threw me."

"Did you really think that I would step into a relationship with a single father and not try and get to know his son? After what happened with my mother and father why would I want to be in your life and not your son's? If you really expect me to love the man but not his family, then I don't think this relationship is healthy. I will not be a glorified fuck-buddy who can never get close to your son." Spencer acted like he wanted to get up. Like he was trying to wiggle out of Aaron's arms. Aaron reacted as Spencer thought he would, and grabbed him tighter. What he didn't expect was Aaron to roll them and settle on his back. It was early in the evening but with Spencer still not sleeping well, the weight of Aaron on top of him, holding him down on the bed, allowed him to relax enough sleep. A nap would be good. 

"I didn't think that. I promise. I just thought that you would ease into it. That you’d be hesitant. It threw me. I love you, Spencer, and I didn't mean to hurt you like this. To make you feel like I didn't want you around Jack. That was the furthest from my mind. I want you around Jack. I promise."

Spencer pulled on Aaron's hands until they wrapped around his shoulders and he could settle there. A little bit of a nap and then dinner. 

"Love you too," Spencer said. The pull of sleep was great. "Love Jack, so much."

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer didn’t move for the whole day. He even stayed in bed with his hands still bound. Aaron had sensed his needed some time and for the first time in weeks he slept in a different room. Spencer didn’t know what to think of that at first, but he was just too tired and emotionally drained. He fell into a fitful sleep as he tried very hard to forget the events of the evening, not with his memory though, it is a night he will never forget and possibly never forgive, but he had to let it go to allow him to rest. Even though he knew who this Aaron was, he felt his feelings for him deepening and that confused and sometimes scared him. 

Later that night when he heard Aaron come in the room he curled in on himself and wanted nothing to do with him.

“Spencer,” Aaron called out as he sat on the bed.

Spencer closed his eyes and didn’t want to talk.

“You have to understand Spencer, I may be a dangerous man, I may be manipulative but there would be a lot of damage done if Foyet gets his wish. He isn’t coming after me because of anything I’ve done politically or business wise. He’s coming after me because of a woman.”

Spencer sat up and glared at Aaron trying to find the words he wanted to say and for once having trouble finding them.

“You’ll understand. You’ll come back to me, because you and I? We’re connected Spencer. We’ll always find each other.” Aaron took a deep breath before he stood and looked back and smiled. “I’m patient and I know one thing, you may not be my Pet, but you’ve changed and you like how you’ve changed. You don’t know what to do with that, but it’s beautiful to watch, seeing you become more. I…” Aaron was going to say more but he stopped himself. Spencer narrowed his eyes and wondered what he was going to say, but didn’t ask. He just watched as Aaron moved around the bed and released the cuffs. “They won’t come back on until you ask.” Spencer swallowed as Aaron ran a finger down his face and smiled, then walked out.

Spencer finally stood and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He hadn’t even realized that he was shaving his body hair till he was almost done. Laying his head against the shower stall he tried not to break. He had to remember that Ethan was still alive in his world, that his Aaron would never do what this Aaron had done. Taking a deep breath he pulled back and finished his shower, then stepped out and after drying he dressed and made his way to the library. There he saw Jack sitting with a book on his lap and Spencer smiled, grabbed a book and walked over sitting next to the boy. Jack looked up at him and moved closer snuggling next to him. 

Spencer almost cried. His Aaron had kept Jack at such distance from him and he didn’t want to say anything, but it had hurt. He had desperately wanted to tell Hotch that the whole Reid Effect joke hurt him. It wasn’t funny and it wasn’t cute and he knew, if he got back, he and Aaron were going to have it out. Having Jack there, looking up to him with such affection, he knew he wasn’t going back to how it was before. He knew there was going to be work on both of their sides.

“Are you mad at Dad?” Jack closed up his book and bent his head down.

“Jack, you know I’m not your Papa.”

“I know. But you are a lot like my Papa. You’re smart like him and you like to do stuff like he does. I care about you.” Spencer’s heart swelled a little at those words and he hoped, if he got home, that his Jack would come to care about him too.

“Your Dad and I have a difference of opinion at the moment, but we’ll work it out.” Those words surprised Spencer because deep down he knew it was true. Spencer just put an arm around Jack and continued reading.

That’s how the next few weeks went. Spencer spent most of his time with Jack when they were home and only spoke with Aaron at work. At home he hid away in his, or rather the other Spencer’s office. When he had looked through the computer he noticed several papers that needed finishing. The ones that he knew he could finish he worked on and sent off to the magazines or publishers. He also spent time with Charlie in their combined office working out the math to build the scale model of the Hadron Collider. 

Spencer noticed that he was getting twitchy and anxious. He had not let Aaron touch him over the last couple of weeks, every time he thought of it he pictured that night and it made his stomach turn. He was holed-up in the cinema room watching movies, curled up in one of the chairs trying to make the shaking stop. It had been happening slowly and Spencer did not want to think about what this meant.

Charlie slipped into the seat next to him, but Spencer didn’t acknowledge him.

“I know what’s happening to you. I don’t know if you’re going to like it though.”

Spencer turned to look at Charlie.

“What?” Spencer had a really good idea, but he wanted it confirmed and Charlie would know.

“It’s called subdrop. You got used to the dynamic between you and Mr. Hotchner. It can pass, but seeing how long you’ve been like this, it isn’t. You became dependant on him whether you want to acknowledge it or not.”

“You’re saying I need to go back to him.” Spencer looked away and didn’t want to think about how his life had turned so upside down, but he had to know. “Is this like what happened to you? You know, before Derek…”

“Yes. Losing Colby...I didn’t know how to handle it. Colby...” Spencer heard the pain in his voice and wondered if it would always be there. “He wasn’t just my Master, Spencer. He was my everything. Derek has been good for me. He’s helping me and I’m grateful for you and Mr. Hotchner. I wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t become my friend.” Charlie smiled sof blushed.

“I can’t Charlie. I can’t. He’s a monster.”

“Yes. He is.”

That startled Spencer more than anything and he looked over at his friend and frowned.

“You think I don’t know about Aaron Hotchner? I’m a scientist and mathematician, I’m not stupid, Spencer. He’s ruthless and manipulative to those that aren’t loyal or close to him. Don had even tried to find evidence on him once, but never could. I come into this with my eyes wide open. But, what you aren’t seeing is the bigger picture.” Charlie turned his head to watch the screen in front of him.

“And what is that bigger picture?” Spencer couldn’t keep the bitterness out of his voice.

“You don’t know this world Spencer. You don’t know what it was like before. We were on the brink of war. The man that was President was a megalomaniac. If people like Mr. Hotchner hadn’t stepped in and you came to this world there would be no going back, none and that isn’t even a joke. Mr. Hotchner and those around him, they’ve made change. Serious change happen. Do you really think that would come from legal means? Bribes, manipulation, extortion, etc. If you knew the world we lived in and the everyday fear you’d overlook some of the things he does too.”

Spencer hadn’t taken the time to learn the history of the world he had found himself in because his preconceived notions made him think it was exactly like his world. Hearing all this from Charlie gave him pause. 

“So you agree with him, torturing and killing someone? Manipulation? And whatever else he has his hands in?” 

“Do some research Spencer. Learn about where we were before and maybe you’ll understand.” Charlie got up and left. Spencer watched him go and stayed in his seat for a while thinking about what he had said. He stood and turned off the movie then went to the office. Booting up the computer he sat down and started to do some hard history research. Several hours later he stood-up and paced the room. What he learned horrified him. The rampant homophobia, hate and anger. The unjust laws and the many groups of people it hurt. Law enforcement run rampant, and more. Not even his own world had been as bad as what he had read. 

He read that many political parties had sprung up and several grass roots movements were trying to change things, but they were often stopped before they even began. Then, ten years ago, changes started taking place, fast. Spencer read between the lines and figured out which ones Aaron had a hand in. He shut down the computer and left the room. He had a lot to think about and a lot more research he wanted to do.

* * *

“I’m not ready for us to go back to a sexual relationship. But, I miss talking to you.” Spencer stood there in front of Aaron’s desk at home trying to control the twitching. It was difficult but he really was not emotionally ready for sex.

Aaron sat back in his chair and Spencer felt like he was being studied like a bug under a microscope. Aaron was keeping him waiting. He knew this was control for dominance and Spencer just wanted him to talk. Casting his eyes down he walked around the desk and dropped down to his knees, hands behind his back and waited.

“You still submit to me even though you don’t want sex yet?”

“Sex and Dom/sub relationships can actually be mutually exclusive. The emotional release that a sub often feels from the Domination play can be just as satisfying as the physical release. Submitting to you on an emotional level, I hope, will have the same kind of satisfaction that a physical release would.”

Aaron chuckled and shook his head as he gently lifted Spencer’s face with his two fingers. He stroked Spencer’s face and swallowed. Spencer wondered what he was thinking and wanted to ask but he would wait.

“You are so different from my Pet. Yet, there are things that are exactly the same. His ramblings are one of the things I’ve always loved about him. You are correct Spencer. We can work on getting back to what we were to each other, but you had to see what I am. I had to show you everything about myself. If there is any chance of this working we both need to have our eyes wide open. Plus, Foyet needed to know that I haven’t been weakened.”

Spencer furrowed his brow and swallowed hard as he looked Aaron in the face.

“I’ve come to understand a great many things. Charlie came to me, told me to do some historical research. It’s rather fascinating that there are events that have happened in your reality in just the same way as they did in ours, but there are others that never happened at all. Like your WWII was very different. The reasons for it and who was allied with who is rather a fascinating study. Like in my world, Germany was the country that started it and they allied with Japan and Italy. We called them the axis powers and they were quite ruthless. Also we had the allies which were the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia and several other countries. But here, it was America, Germany and South America, mainly, against Japan, Great Britain and Russia. I delved further…” Aaron placed two fingers on Spencer’s lips.

“Fascinating and at another time I’d be interested in comparing histories, but I understand what you are getting at Spencer. Your reality is vastly different and you’ve learned why myself and those I work with are the way we are, am I correct?”

“Yes. Though big business still runs on capitalistic ideas, your world doesn’t let business run the Government, nor do you let religion run it.”

“It wasn’t always that way. There were too many leaders who used religion in office to push through laws that made it impossible for many groups to feel even remotely free. Yes, there is a coalition of those like myself, ruthless, manipulative, with no qualms in eliminating our enemies and those who oppose true freedom. That’s what I fight for Spencer and I will do it by any means necessary.”

“What if you do get caught one day?”

“Then there are others who will take my place and continue my work.”

“Corruption beats corruption is what you are saying?”

“It’s the only way things will get done, have gotten done and we are better for it. Schools are performing better all the time. Equal rights are being enacted everyday, people feel safer with more stringent rules for police. It’s not perfect. There are still hate groups and those that oppose true equality in the name of whatever God they pray to. But, the right people in the right places, bribes, extortion. It’s the only language politicians speak and I speak it very, very well. I have no desire to sit on a seat, I prefer to stay in the background.”

The unfortunate reality was that Spencer could see it. He could see where a powerful and intelligent person like Aaron could help foster real change using illicit means. 

“I need time, Sir. To understand it all.”

“Then what are you doing on your knees?” Aaron’s voice was almost cold and distant.

“Because,” Spencer bowed his head and shook. “I need it.” Those were three words he never thought he would ever say. He knew where this feeling was coming from, he knew and it scared him. This, whatever it was that he had with this Aaron, he craved it. He craved it like he had once craved Dilaudid. 

“I was right. Your submission is true, then. If you don’t want sex then we won’t go there, but if I take you to the playroom, if we start this again, you cannot back out anymore Spencer. It would damage both of us emotionally and mentally. Do you understand?”

Spencer nodded his head as his breathing went shallow and he started to shake even more.

“Words, Spencer.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“And you give this to me freely?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Aaron ran his fingers through Spencer’s hair and the man practically purred. He would swear that this Spencer liked to be pet and his hair touched even more than his own Pet. Aaron smiled as he continued petting and touching Spencer’s hair.

“You aren’t my Pet, you are different in many ways. I think I need a new name for you. Kitten.”

“Kitten?”

Aaron smiled and leaned down to give Spencer a soft, chaste kiss. “You curl-up like a kitten. Any chair or tabletop, you curl-up. You like your hair petted and, dare I say groomed. You bounce around and when you let go, you are mischievous like a kitten.”

Spencer wanted to smile in acceptance, but not yet. He wasn’t letting Aaron in again just yet. They had work to do to rebuild trust, but he wasn’t opposed to the nickname.

“Stand Kitten. Go to our room, strip and put on one of the kimono’s in your closet and a pair of your Spandex running shorts and wait for me.” Spencer stood on shaky legs and almost shuddered at the commands. He quickly obeyed and waited in the middle of the bedroom for Aaron.

“I will not be responsible if you become hard. You will be allowed to take care of it yourself. This won’t be about sex, as you have made the rules clear.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Good.” Aaron turned to the cabinet and opened it up. “Choose.”

Spencer stood in front of the cabinet and took his time in figuring out what he wanted. He pointed to the long flat paddle, a riding crop and a silicon flogger. He was breathing heavy as Aaron allowed him to look in the drawers. There was something he had been curious about for a while. He didn’t know if he could take it, but the way he was feeling he wanted to try. With shaking hands he pulled out a pair of nipple clamps.

“Are you sure Kitten?” Aaron asked as he took the clamps from Spencer.

“I want to try.”

“Then we’ll use these.” Aaron put the ones Spencer had grabbed away and pulled out a different style. They had a flat surface on one side and a screw pin on the other.

“These are for beginners. The ones you pulled, you wouldn’t have been able to take. These can get you used to the sensation.”

“Okay.” Aaron gently stroked his cheek as he slipped the clamps in his pants pocket. He attached the leash and pulled Spencer close to him and kissed him, tongue swiping out to taste. A moment later he pulled back and stared into Spencer’s eyes. “You tempt me Kitten. But I will respect your boundary.”

Aaron shut the cabinet doors then grabbed the leash and pulled Spencer along towards the playroom. Once there he stripped off the robe and had Spencer lie face down on the table. Spencer felt the restraints as his arms were lifted above his head and his legs were spread. Aaron used a crank on the table that split the legs wide apart. When he was satisfied with the position he started with the flogger.

Each stroke was heaven to Spencer. He loved and hated it at the same time. He craved this, craved how the pain made his mind empty and he just didn’t have to _think_. He didn’t know what he was going to do when he got back, he wasn’t sure if his Aaron could even do anything like this and it pained him to think that he’d have to find a skilled Dom.

He screamed when he felt the paddle come down on his ass. He lost track of the counts. He was squirming riding that edge between the pleasure and the pain. He was sweating and shaking for an entirely different reason. When he felt himself being turned he looked up into Aaron’s face and just kept his focus on that. The handsome face that he had grown to love so much. Even in his world he had loved Aaron, even before they got a chance to start.

He looked down to see Aaron sucking on his nipples and he couldn’t help how hard he was getting. The tight running shorts were getting increasingly tighter from the erection he had gotten. He knew Aaron wasn’t going to cross his boundary, but a part of him wished he would. Then he felt the screws tightening and it was all almost too much. His eyes were rolling back in his head and when the crop came down across his stomach he screamed and arched into it at the same time.

He was lost completely to sensation. He was floating on a new high where he almost didn’t even feel the sting of the crop or the pinching of the clamps anymore. 

“Kitten, are you with me?” Spencer heard Aaron asking, but he was so far gone, he was so deep he couldn’t respond. He tried to protest when Aaron lifted him off the table, but all he could do was groan. He was picked-up bridal style in Aaron’s arms and his head was tucked against Aaron’s shoulder, he had tried to lift his arms but they wouldn’t cooperate. When he was being lowered on the toilet in their room he tried to stay-up but he felt himself slipping. Aaron caught him and helped him stand. He felt his shorts being pulled off him and heard Aaron chuckling.

“I didn’t even have to touch you Kitten. You came, and I don’t think you even realize it. Spencer I need you to come back. Come on Spencer.” Aaron sighed and picked him up and lowered them into the tub. “You went too far down.”

“Mmm, need you, so much.” He heard himself saying against Aaron’s neck. He was trying to stop the words that wanted to bubble out, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t make anything work the way it should. “Miss you, why? Why did it have to be Ethan? Why Sir?” The slurred words were spilling out of his mouth faster than he could ever hope to stop them at this point. “Best friend. I loved him, only friend. Why?” The tears were spilling as he was held against Aaron’s chest. “I should hate you, hate you. I love you. I don’t want to, I don’t, I can’t stop it.”

“Shhh Spencer. Just rest against me.” Spencer felt those hands buried in his hair and he finally let out the pain and anguish he had felt watching what Aaron had done to Ethan. By the time he was being laid in bed, after being forced to take some advil and drink water he was being cuffed to the bed and felt a chain being added to the collar he wore. He didn’t even protest as he dropped into sleep.

* * *

Spencer was slowly waking-up and he felt the security of the cuffs and didn’t even question the chain on the collar. When he finally opened-up bleary eyes to look at the clock beside his side of the bed he saw that it was after ten. At first he started to panic, but then remembered it was Saturday. Aaron would never have played with him that hard on a weekday. It all came back in a rush, the play, how far he had gone into subspace, then the words and emotions. He felt drained and didn’t want to move.

“You’re awake.” He turned to see Aaron sitting up in the bed reading. He hadn’t woken Spencer for their run. “How are you feeling?”

Spencer turned, he wasn’t ready to leave the comfort of the bed just yet. He contemplated the simple question for a moment and knew that Aaron wasn’t talking physically.

“Better.” He looked up to see a soft look on the man’s face. It wasn’t often that he looked like that. “Aaron...those words...last night…”

“It’s okay Kitten. We don’t have to talk about it just yet. We do have an appointment at the tattoo shop, but if you need to cancel I’ll understand.”

Spencer thought about it but decided he wanted to. They were going to finish the third row of the library. He had already had the quotes he wanted picked out and, after the night before, he wanted it. Needed it and wasn’t that just the kicker. This Aaron and what he gave him had replaced old needs. He was still trying to decide if it was a healthier replacement, he wasn’t sure, but that small constant ache that he had learned to live with after Georgia wasn’t as pressing anymore and when it got too bad, he knew he could go to Aaron to get what he needed. A way to get out of his head and that, more than anything, was why he craved the pain. 

“No, I...I want to.”

“Good. I’ll give you some time. It was pretty intense and you went down too far. I should have been more alert. It won’t happen again.”

Spencer lifted his hands and Aaron unlocked the cuffs and detached the chain. Spencer sat up and propped the pillows behind him. He had questions about what happened, but he wasn’t sure where to start.

“What did happen Aaron? I’ve never experienced something like that.”

Aaron set his paper aside and turned to fully look at Spencer.

“It’s called subspace. You’ve skirted the edge and I’ve kept you from tipping all the way over because it’s a very intense place to be. A Dom has to be careful when their sub does enter that state because pain no longer has much meaning. You can’t effectively tell me how you’re doing and the deeper you go, the possibility for lasting harm is there. There are Doms that don’t care and push their subs into that fugue state just so they can harm. Those Doms are dealt with in the community and sanctioned. It’s never okay to harm a sub in that way. It breaks trust.”

“That’s why you stopped when you did.”

“Yes. I should have stopped sooner, but I will admit I was too far in my Topspace. It had been too long and I wasn’t as careful as I should have been. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be.”

“Yes I do. I could have further broken your trust in me Spencer. You pulled away and wanted nothing to do with me and I’ll admit it hurt, but I understand your reasons. I couldn’t break what little trust was left. Do you understand?”

Spencer was surprised to see this side of Aaron. Oh he had seen the caring and had felt that it was genuine, but this, Spencer couldn’t define it. Aaron seemed, regretful but that didn’t coincide with what he knew of this man. This Aaron was rarely regretful of his actions. Except…

“You didn’t know what it was going to do to me seeing Ethan, did you?”

“Honestly Spencer, I didn’t even know you knew the man. And I do regret that it was emotionally painful for you and for that I’m sorry. But, I’m not sorry for my actions. If you want to know why I chose him, I have a file you should see. This Ethan, was not the man you knew.”

“I’m beginning to understand a lot of things. I’m beginning to understand just how truly different this world is. Nothing and no one is the same.”

“No, I suppose they aren’t.” Aaron stood and walked around the bed. He lifted Spencer’s head, his hand warm against Spencer’s skin. “You’re learning though. I’m going to bring you some coffee and some food. Just relax. Jack is out with JJ for the day.”

Spencer just smiled and nodded. Aaron broke the gaze first, then left. A few minutes later a tray was being laid over his lap and he realized just how hungry he was. He ate slowly, running the last couple of months, and god that just wasn’t right. He was stuck in this reality and it could be measured in months. He knew that the collider was going to take some time to build and the testing to start. When he thought about it all, it made his head hurt. He had no idea how long he was going to end up being here. It could be another few months, it could be years. What would be left of him if he kept fighting all of this? He could leave, he knew he could. Aaron wouldn’t stop him, but what would he do? Go to the Bureau? If what he read was true, then there was rampant corruption in the FBI. The new director was trying to get it under control, but it wasn’t the Bureau he knew and loved. The BAU wasn’t even the same. They didn’t work to stop serial killers, their purpose was entirely different. He could teach, but where? And what? 

Spencer set the finished tray aside, reached into his nightstand and pulled out the two journals. The first was documenting everything for the other Spencer, the second a personal one. He documented everything that had happened in the last few days first, then he opened his personal one. He started to just write and by the time he was done, he knew. He wasn’t leaving Aaron or Jack he couldn’t. They both meant to much to him. He lifted his eyes up to the room and looked around and felt that so much of himself was there. Things he’s added over the months. Little knick knacks and a few things of his own personal style was there. Aaron encouraged it. 

Spencer stood and walked into the closet and pulled on a pair of tight jeans that he knew Aaron liked. They were soft and comfortable in a dark denim. Then pulled on one of the quirky fandom shirts he had bought and paired it all with a casual denim jacket. He grabbed a pair of the converse Aaron had allowed him to buy and pulled them on. When he was done he looked at himself in the mirror and saw the changes to himself. He didn’t know if they were physically there, but they were there none the less. He _had_ changed. He knew he wasn’t leaving and he knew he was no longer pretending to be what Aaron needed. The only line he knew he’d never cross is taking a life. Spencer reached up and touched the collar around his neck, the one that had never come off in the weeks since it had been changed out, and closed his eyes. When he opened them up again he made several decisions rather quickly, then stepped away from the mirror and went in search of his lover. They had an appointment to keep.

* * *

Monday morning and Spencer was sitting at his desk, the new collar making him almost giddy. It was dark blue leather with studs around it and a dangling blue police box from the center ring. It was a charm that could be clipped on and off it. Spencer had been glad when Jack had showed him their collection of Doctor Who. While not all the stories were the same and a few of the actors were different, it was still Doctor Who and that more than anything had made Spencer happy.

Aaron didn’t even balk at the fact that it wasn’t purple. Though it was the man’s main fetish, even Aaron grudgingly admitted that the color looked good on him and the collar was perfect. The tattoo was still healing but Spencer had been pleased with the outcome. The biggest change were the piercings. Nipple piercings. It had been something that was spur of the moment, but he had liked it when Aaron had played with them the way he did the other night. They were still sore and would take a while to heal, but was all part of Spencer accepting a part of himself that he had tried so hard to ignore in his own world. Aaron was right, nothing that happened to him, none of the changes were truly against his own will. He allowed them, he craved them and a small part of him, the part that was the shy, repressed Dr. Spencer Reid, agent of the BAU was screaming at him to fight. He was tired of not standing up for himself and tired of denying things that, he grudgingly concluded, were things he wanted.

Turning back to his computer he turned it on, opened up the files on his desk and got to work. He was completely focused on what he was doing when a knock on Aaron’s door startled him. They weren’t expecting any clients till later in the afternoon. He heard Aaron stand and heard the door open. He tried to stay focused on work, but when he heard a voice, that voice everything in him stilled and went quiet. He had convinced himself just a couple days before that he could never kill a man in cold blood, but here, here was a man that could push him. A long buried anger welled-up and he kept his breathing even and controlled.

“George, what can I do for you this morning?” Aaron’s voice was cold and emotionless and still Spencer stayed where he was. He unconsciously wrapped a hand around the handle of his letter opener, a long handled double edged version. Spencer didn’t have to wonder why his doppleganger kept it sharpened.

“I have a warrant to look through your files Aaron.” That voice was the same. Honeyed and menacing at the same time. Spencer just kept breathing.

“Really. On what grounds George?” Spencer heard Aaron moving but he was afraid to move, afraid to turn around because he was afraid of what he might do.

“On the grounds of suspicious activity, jury tampering, bribing Judges, and witnesses to get the outcome you want. There’s more, you can read it in the warrant.” Spencer turned just enough to see Aaron and the almost sharklike look on his face. The laugh in his voice as Aaron set the paper aside told Spencer they had nothing to worry about.

“You know, I think you almost really believe that I would do all that. I mean I admit that I’m ruthless, and I get what I want in the courtroom, but I do it through skill, evidence and, well my considerable charm. I have no need to do anything illegal to make a case. If I did then don’t you think I’d win every single time?” 

“Oh I have evidence. Enough for a Judge to sign that warrant Aaron.”

Spencer turned fully to watch what was going on and his hand tightened around the letter opener. He had never in his life felt such hatred and anger towards an UnSub...Spencer shook his head. He knew he was blurring the lines in his mind between this Foyet and the one from his own reality.

“Judge Berkins? You got a traffic Judge to sign off on a warrant? Do you know how many ways I can get this thrown out?” Aaron threw the warrant on his desk and his look was almost, gleeful.

“It’s still a warrant and you will give me access to your files.” Aaron smiled that sharklike smile once again. He reached down into his desk and pulled out a set of CD’s.

“You know I was kind of expecting this, so here. All of our files for the last ten years. Every last one, for all eight senior partners and the fifteen or so junior partners and the, let me see, we now have twenty, twenty-five non-partnered attorneys and paralegals? So, go ahead, search them. You won’t find a thing Georgie.”

Spencer was sweating he was holding on by a thread and Aaron taunting him just felt too familiar. He felt his pulse racing and he just wanted this over because he knew without a doubt the longer this went on the closer he was to snapping.

“I want access to your paper files. These could have been doctored.”

“Have your analyst look them over, you’ll see that no doctoring went on. And by all means, you can look through our archives, because if you look at the wording on this warrant, that is all you have access to. This,” Aaron set the CD’s in front of Foyet, “Is the files up through and including cases closed as of last year. Even this warrant doesn’t give you access to active cases.” 

Foyet was out of his chair and leaning menacingly over the desk practically snarling at Aaron and that was all it took. Spencer was out of his chair and had Foyet slammed against one of the bookcases with the letter opener up under his chin.

“You will take the CD’s and you will get your sorry ass out of this office and leave Aaron alone. Your little vendetta has gone far enough Foyet. Haley was a little bitch and whore. What makes you think she would have stayed with you and wouldn’t go looking for another dick to screw?” Spencer felt his hot breath on Foyet’s cheek, his body tight with tension. He felt like a dangerous snake ready to strike with one false move of his prey.

“Call your Pet off Hotchner,” Foyet yelled but Aaron didn’t make a move. Spencer felt a strange sort of perverse glee at the fear he saw in Foyet’s eyes. “You better get off me, you don’t want to be arrested for assaulting an FBI agent.” Spencer laughed, but it was a dark menacing laugh. He leaned in close and whispered in Foyet’s ear. The man started to shake in his tight hold.

“That’s enough Spencer,” Aaron commanded from his chair and though he was conflicted and really didn’t want to let the man go, obeying Aaron was so ingrained in him by now that he let Foyet go, but the warning had been given.

Foyet grabbed the CD’s and glared at Aaron, “This isn’t over.” The man stalked out of the room and slammed the door.

Spencer was still vibrating with pent-up rage and didn’t know what to do with it. When he felt rough hands grip his shoulders and piercing brown eyes looked at him he almost collapsed in the man’s arms.

“What was that? Not that that little display didn’t get me hard and aching but that was a page out of my Spencer’s book.”

“It’s a long story and I don’t really want to talk about it yet.”

“What do you want Kitten?” Aaron lifted his chin so they were looking eye-to-eye.

Spencer didn’t even hesitate, “Fuck me.”

Aaron grinned, “With pleasure.”

* * *

#  _Our World_

All Spencer knew before he boarded the jet was that there was a case in Chicago. Morgan had traveled there the previous day because his sister had been in a car accident. All that Spencer could deduce was that Morgan had caught a case in the hospital. Aaron had been at the office but the rest of the team had been enjoying their day off. Spencer had used it to work on the classes that this Spencer was taking, he was breezing through them. 

The rest of the team arrived pretty much at the same time at the airfield. Spencer let Emily take the inside seat of the four person table while JJ sat across from him and Rossi took the seat across from Emily. Aaron took a different seat and nothing was said as they took off. As soon as they were allowed to move about, Aaron passed out the files and when Spencer opened his, his heart plummeted to his stomach. He had to walk a fine line in getting Cindi back. Because instead of it being something that they discovered six months after Ford had taken Cindi, it was...Spencer looked at the file, over eight years. Spencer closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. He could do this. He really hoped that he'd be in a room alone because he'd need his cuffs and collar to sleep. 

The first thing that he needed to do was direct the team away from Hitchens and onto Malcolm Ford. After they got off the phone with Morgan, Spencer started to pour over the Hitchens file. Most of it contained things that they never had in Spencer's universe as they were working from the outside and his Derek wasn't FBI. 

"The gun that Hitchens used to kill himself was traced to a dealer in Chicago. There is no record of any issues with the business," Spencer pointed out. He wanted to be on the ground helping to get to Ford quicker.  
"Reid, go to the dealer when we land and see if he can remember Hitchens mindset when he bought the gun," Aaron said as he barely looked up from the file he was looking at. Spencer went back to the files and worked his way through the rest of the pages. 

There were three cars waiting for them when they landed at the airstrip. By the time they landed, Spencer figured that Ford would have already packed up he and Cindi to leave. He had no clue what the man would really do though. He'd had Cindi for eight years. How much damage had been done to her? How fucked up was she truly? 

Two hours later, the entire team was focused on Malcolm Ford and Spencer relaxed just slightly. He had a record that was screaming he is the one who took her. From there it was Hotch sending Morgan, JJ, and him to see if he was home. Spencer figured he was in hiding but the man had an ego in his world so he really wouldn't have been surprised to find him sitting at home with Cindi on the couch beside him. 

As soon as the house was cleared, Spencer started to go through the files. There were some burnt in one of the fireplaces. The detective from the Chicago PD grabbed a headbox. Spencer had seen them and knew what they were. Aaron had had one but had either gotten rid of it or moved it into one of the storage rooms in the lower areas of the house. Punishment was not something that Spencer had ever liked so he'd never pushed enough to need it after the first few times. Aaron's disappointment in him had hurt worse than whatever the man had done to him. 

"I wouldn't do that." Spencer looked at him briefly.

"What is it?"

"It's a head box."

Spencer tuned them out while he looked at the papers. Then Spencer found what he was looking for. He had hoped that this would be different but it wasn't. And he felt so bad for Cindi. 

"Morgan, we need to deliver the profile." Spencer stood up and started to hand over papers. 

"Why Reid? We know who the UnSub is." Morgan looked pissed that he even said it. 

"We need to deliver the profile."

The papers were taken and Morgan looked at them. Spencer felt for Morgan. Submissiveness was supposed to be freely given not taken. The Company was a good headspace for willing people who wanted to act like slaves. For it to be used to steal the hopes, dreams, lives, and consent of someone gave Spencer a bad taste in his mouth. The team followed it to the ring that Aaron and he had ended up breaking in their world. 

It wasn't but a few hours later that Cindi did something to draw attention inside of a grocery store and Morgan and Rossi were right there to take Ford in. However, Cindi was still missing.. The man had spent eight years turning her into his perfect slave, he wasn't going to kill her, but he knew how to hide her. That's where Spencer had the advantage over the rest of the team. He waited for Ford to be brought into the station. Given what was known, Aaron would probably send in JJ and Prentiss after Rossi talked to him. Spencer had to make sure that he was sent in before the girls. 

Spencer hovered as Aaron slipped into the viewing room for the interrogation. 

"How's it going?"

"He hasn't asked for a lawyer yet. He's baiting us. Which means we need an interrogation strategy to throw him off."

"He's expecting-," Aaron said and Spencer stepped into the room.

"I can get him to talk."

Aaron and Rossi looked at him in shock. There was a little bit of disbelief on Rossi's face while Aaron's was just his work mask. 

"I can. I know the world he lives in. I know what to do to get him to talk."

"Aaron," Rossi said but Spencer didn't pay him any attention. His eyes were locked on Aaron.

"You can give it a shot. If you fail, I'm sending in JJ and Prentiss. I want a wig in your ear though. I want you to be able to hear us in case we find out something else."

"Of course."

Ten minutes later, Spencer entered the room. He took the second chair on his side of the table and moved it to the corner and then sat down in the middle of the table on the first chair. He had a stack of files that he'd had printed off from Aaron's tablet. The man had been confused and still was. He could hear the subtle sounds of the team in the viewing room through his earwig. He pushed the noise away. Morgan and he had taken pictures of places in the house and Spencer had printed those out along with a few other things from other files. Then he'd dressed down to just his dress shirt, taking his tie off and rolling up his sleeves. 

Ford was eyeing him up and down and Spencer knew the moment that he dismissed him. Spencer allowed himself to smirk inside. Ford was playing into his hands.

"Mr. Ford, can I ask you a few questions?"

"Yes." Ford was still leaning back in his chair, his posture smug. Spencer would love to show him what a true Dom was. To let him meet his Aaron. He knew who would win and it wasn't the piece of shit in front of him.

"Thank you. So..." Spencer opened the file on Hitchens. "There is a police report here about the gun used in the what was then classified as a suicide of John Hitchens. It seems though that you are the one who bought the gun."

"That was stolen from me."

"But see the small issue is that Hitchens was stalking a woman. We found photographs of her in his place and now eight years later, here you are married to the woman he was stalking and we can't find a single trace of evidence that links you and him besides her."

"I don't know who this Hitchens person is."

"That may be but see in court, any intern could make the jury see enough to suspect that you killed the man stalking the woman you love. But you are right, there is no link. We can't see where you've ever crossed paths with her."

"I..." 

Spencer interrupted him. "So we need your alibi for the time that Hitchens was believed to be killed."

"If you had anything, you'd charge me already. You're here because of Cindi."

Spencer smiled at him. "What is your married life like?"

"Cindi and I never fight. She knows her role."

"I see. And what role is that?" Spencer pulled the sealed bag out of the folder. He kept it so that all Ford could see was the fact that it was half burned. 

"We don't fight about who does the dishes. Who folds the laundry. What we have is a bond you know nothing about."

"A bond I know nothing about?" Spencer stood up and sat down on the edge of the table. Ford just looked at him. "I know what a bond between a Dominant and a Submissive should be. I know what it feels like to take care of my Dom and for him to take care of me in return. I know what it's like to give myself over completely to him and I never signed a contract. He didn't need it to know that I was going to stay with him." Spencer started to unbutton his shirt just enough to show off the rune. "This was all he wanted to show that I was his besides wearing his collar. He carved this into my flesh and with it I felt owned. I use it to remind me that only a single person is allowed to tell me what to do. The rest of this?"

Spencer took his shirt off the rest of the way, showing the fine scars on his chest and then turned to show the heavy scars on his back. The gasps from the team were loud in his ears but he didn't even look up into the mirror. When he was done, he put his shirt back on but didn't button it up. 

"The rest of my marks, I wear because I want to. He never demanded and he never made me. You play at being a Dom. You play at being in control when all you are is an abusive man who doesn't even understand what it feels like to have a submissive be a slave. You may own Cindi, Malcolm Ford. You may own her body but her mind and her soul? They will never be yours. She wouldn't lay down her life for you because in the end, you are not more important than herself. She would walk away from you in a heartbeat if she was given the full opportunity."

Malcolm looked at him with a look of sadistic glee on his face. "What are you doing here then? Why aren't you there with your man? Why aren't you taking care of him right now? What are you doing here?"

"I'm here because Sir isn't around anymore. He's gone from my grasp and I made him a promise that I would never take my own life. I'm here because his love is what is keeping me alive and knowing that I get to put away people who harm others fills up the void in my life just enough to make the days worth living. So Malcolm Ford? Do you think that your bond with Cindi will last through that?"

Malcolm had nothing to say to that. Spencer just stared at him. There was noise in the background of the wig and he was sure that it was Morgan. Morgan had finally made it back to the station. 

" _Let me go in there._ " Morgan's voice was far away and Spencer was sure that he hadn't seen the display.

" _Reid's in there right now and has a good thing going. You'd just throw it off._ "

" _You put Reid in there? He's not a woman._ "

" _No but he's getting Ford to say more than we thought._ "

" _How?_ "

" _By lying his ass off._ " Rossi sounded shocked. Oh if only they knew it wasn't all a lie.

Spencer smirked and shrugged. No one could see him except for Ford. 

" _Reid?_ " Aaron's voice was questioning and Spencer just raised up his arms like he was stretching and waggled with his finger in a come in motion. " _You want Morgan in there?_ "

" _I know I can break him._ " Morgan at least sounded calm but Spencer knew that wouldn't last. This man was a slave to his emotions. He had no control, unlike Derek. 

Spencer nodded slightly and waited. The door opened and Spencer just nodded at Morgan to take the seat at the side of the room. Morgan looked a little shocked but he did as Spencer asked him to. 

"What time is it?" Ford asked. 

"It's ten thirty three," Spencer answered before he turned back to look at Malcolm. "I've already read the report that states what Cindi tried to take from the store. I'm sure that it has a very deep meaning to Agent Morgan behind me but see, I kind of already figured it out. At least part of what he's in here to find out. Microwave spaghetti and meatballs. That's not something a wife makes for a husband. That's something a mother makes for a child. Now if you have that bond that you speak so highly of, she never would have done that. I'm sure it was a message for Agent Morgan and a woman who has that profound of a bond would never want to tell Morgan that she is still there. She would have went in and bought you something to eat and left, never tipping anything off. So, Malcolm Ford, where is Cindi now?" Spencer stared at him just a little bit longer before he looked back at Morgan.

"You don't know what she became. You don't know the love she had for me."

"'Had'?" Morgan asked as he stood up.

Spencer was watching Ford's face and saw what Morgan was seeing, the micro expression on his face that he had given up more than what he wanted but Spencer saw more. He saw his eyes. He saw the triumph in those eyes. 

"You just..."

"Morgan stop," Spencer said as he turned to look back at him. "Quit letting him play with you. Now sit down and shut up before I throw you out of this room."

Morgan sat down, more in shock than anything else.

"Looks like someone has forgot all his Sir taught him."

"Oh, no. I didn't forget. I have not forgotten a single lesson that he taught me. My submission is just for him. He wanted me to push away other Doms. Because the more my submission is spread around the less it means to him. Is that what you did? Did you make Cindi bow to every person? Beg to be allowed human contact and speaking with other people. You wanted a slave and you got one. You just don't understand what happens when submission is taken and not given"

" _Reid, someone has lawyered up for Ford. You need to come out._ "

"Looks like I found where you dropped Cindi off. Your lawyer and wife are here, Ford." Spencer stood up and waited for Morgan to pass in front of him before he left, he stopped in the doorway and buttoned up his shirt again. When he got out there, Morgan and Hotch were standing in front of Cindi and the lawyer. 

"Mrs. Ford," Spencer started. 

"Stop. You are not to speak to my clients without me present."

"What the hell is this?" Morgan asked. 

"You are holding my client on suspicion of kidnapping, as you can see the woman he's supposed to have kidnapped..." Spencer was glad that he filed that paperwork. There was enough circumstantial evidence to hold him on that one, at least for a little while. Aaron was looking at him like he had grown another head. 

"Actually, he's also being held in connection with a murder," Spencer cut in. The lawyer looked at him. "So we have a little while longer with him. You are more than welcome to join in in interrogation. We need to talk about Mr. Ford's whereabouts the day that Mr. Hitchens was murdered." Spencer held his hand out and directed the lawyer towards the room where Ford was then he turned to Cindi. "Ma'am. There is a room over here where you can wait."

"Who are you?" 

"I'm Doctor Spencer Reid, I work with the BAU. Now is there anything that I can get you while you wait?"

"I just want my husband."

"Well, before you can see him we have to talk to both you and him and since you share a lawyer, you'll have to wait."

"Why do you need to speak with me?"

"I can't discuss that without your lawyer present." Spencer opened up the secondary door and ushered Cindi into an office. She took a seat and Spencer shut the door before he turned to the team. "I want her left alone. Morgan, I know you want to talk to her but you are an Alpha. She's lived with an abusive Alpha for years. I can get her to talk, you just have to trust me. Can you do that?" Spencer asked. Morgan was still wary, Spencer could see that. After this case he'd have to keep a fine line on making sure that he turned back into the Spencer they all know. 

"Reid, are you sure you can do this?"

"Have I ever not done what was needed for a case?"

"No but this is...A house of cards."

"I'll get him to crack, don't worry." Spencer went into the interrogation room, tapping at the wig in his ear as he sat down. 

"Agent..."

"Actually it's Doctor Reid. I prefer to go by my earned named than the title that's given with my job."

"Doctor Reid, Mr. Ford filed a police report about the gun."

"Yes but see there is just too much circumstantial evidence. His seemingly stolen gun used to kill a man that was stalking his now wife. I've gone over this with Mr. Ford. There is no cross in his life and in Hitchens'. It just looks really weird that he is killed with Mr. Ford's gun when the now Mrs. Ford was fleeing from Hitchens and heading south. Her family doesn't hear from her in eight years and all of a sudden it's found that she is here in Chicago, her home, married to the man who killed her stalker."

"She wants nothing to do with her family. I saved her from him while all they did was send her away. I love her and she knows it."

"Thank you, Mr. Ford." Spencer stood up and looked in the mirror. The door opened and two officers entered. "Mr. Ford, these men will take you to processing. Mr. Stiles, I need you to stay to be present while I talk to Mrs. Ford."

"Of course." Stiles looked like he knew that Ford was sunk. 

Ford tried to fight with the officers while Stiles kept trying to calm him down. In the end, two more officers had to come in and help Ford out. JJ appeared in the doorway.

"JJ can you bring Mrs. Ford in here?"

"Sure."

Spencer sat back in his chair and waited for JJ to bring her in. She took the seat that Malcolm had been sitting in and Spencer smiled at her.

"Mrs. Ford, the charges of kidnapping have been dropped. For now. We just have to go over everything that happened from the moment that you were on your way to Charleston and how you ended up here. You have to understand how all of this looks. Your family is here in Chicago and you want nothing to do with them. They helped to try and get you away from a stalker and you seem to have abandoned them."

Cindi looked at Stiles. He nodded at her.

"I came home. I didn't like it there and I came home. Malcolm found me and protected me."

"And that protection came at the cost of your family?"

"No. I chose to get rid of them."

"You chose to get rid of them?" Spencer eyed her up and down. "Aren't you warm? Would you like to take your coat off?"

"No."

"Are you afraid of what we will see? Do you want to see my marks?" Spencer asked. Her eyes opened wide and she looked really confused.

"Doctor Reid, what purpose does this serve?" 

"I'm just trying to get into a good rapport with Mrs. Ford. I classify as submissive. I lived the life that Mr. Ford is trying to portray. Now Cindi, do you want to see my marks?"

Cindi only nodded. Spencer didn't hesitate like he had with Ford. He undid the shirt all the way in a single line before he opened it. Cindi's eyes looked up and down his chest. 

"A true submissive, someone who knows that giving themselves to someone else is what they want, they enjoy when this happens to them. I remember every single one these marks. I remember what I felt when they were laid on my skin. I remember what he did to me after and before. And when he's done, he carried me into a bath, he cleaned me, took care of me, bandaged my wounds, and I never feel more loved." Spencer looked her in the eye. "Does he do that with you?"

"No."

"And your child. Where is he?"

Cindi closed her mouth and pursed her lips. 

"My Sir had a son. Artificial insemination. I helped raise that boy. Sir would never keep him from me. He used to run in and jump into bed with us. I lost him when I lost Sir. If you tell me where your son is, we can go and get him. No matter where he is, if he is your son, you have a right to walk in and get him. Especially with a police escort."

Cindi was looking at him like she didn't understand him. 

"Mr. Stiles, can I approach her? I won't touch her but I want her to see something."

"I'll allow it."

Spencer stood up and moved around to her side of the table. He crouched and opened his shirt a little, showing her the skin above his heart. "He marked me with this when I turned nineteen. I trace it when I am upset and it calms me down. It reminds me when I feel upset that someone truly loves me. That no matter how alone I feel, that I am not."

"I'll take you to him," Cindi said.

* * *

When the case was wrapped and they were getting ready to leave, Strauss called and put them on a few days of leave. Morgan was staying in Chicago while the others wanted to go home.

"I'm going to head to Atlantic City," Spencer said as he finished slipping a few things into his bag. Everyone on the team stopped and looked at him, including Morgan.

"Why?" Prentiss asked. 

"There is a tournament going on and it looks like it might be fun." And it would be a good chance to try and win a little money. The rest of the team left the room but Aaron stepped over to him. 

"We need to talk."

"About?" Spencer asked.

"Your..."

"Scars? Aaron I was playing him. I have talked with true Doms and Subs enough to be able to fake it all. The psychology of it all is fascinating. I've watched scenes and seen the care and love that a true Dom has for his or her Sub."

"It's more than that."

"What do you mean?" Spencer asked.

"Your voice when you spoke of Sir..."

"That's someone else's story, from a Sub I'd interviewed as part of my thesis for psychology. But the rune on my chest was done by a lover. To have a mark that was placed with love." Spencer hoped that Aaron believed the lie. He made his face soft. "I had to get them to believe it. If Ford got away from here, who knows where he was going to go. We were a threat to him and men like him kill what's theirs so others don't take it."

Aaron looked at him and it seemed like he believed him. The older man looked around and then reached up and slid a knuckle down his face. "Come back so you can spend a day with Jack and I."

"I'll come back to your place if you want. Do you want that?"

"Yes. Be safe. Call me every night. Jack likes saying goodnight to you. And I do as well." Aaron looked around again. "I want to kiss you."

"The want is enough. Better go before Morgan or Rossi comes back for you. I'll call you tonight." 

Aaron grabbed his things and left. The team had already checked out of the hotel before going back to the station to pack up. Spencer just needed to find a different hotel to stay in. He used the stations computers to find what he was looking for. The Peninsula Chicago. He was happy that it was still in this universe. He'd see what suites were available for him when he got there. He had a preferred room for when he stayed by himself. Often, due to work, he'd had to go sometimes a day or two before Aaron to get things set up for trials. It would be perfect for him. 

On the taxi ride to the hotel, Spencer saw signs for gambling establishments in the Chicago area. That would be better for him. He made his plans of hitting a few electronic café type places to get a good sum built up. Then he could go to a casino in the area. He didn't want to spend that much of Spencer's money if he didn't have to. When he got to the hotel, it was easy to check in and when he looked though the wallet he found a card he'd missed before. It was a high limit credit card, he recognized it on sight. Shocked, Spencer used it to pay. He hadn't found that account yet. The Spencer of this world was a lot sneakier than he thought. 

Once settled in his room, Spencer pulled out his phone and started playing around. The company the credit card was through was based in Las Vegas so he figured that there was a PO Box or something like it the statements went to. He accessed the bill site and used the login that Spencer had and password for his regular bank account and found access. There was a zero account balance but a limit of seven hundred thousand dollars. The interest rate was so small and Spencer just stared before accessing the history. There he found evidence of the payoffs of some big amounts, mostly on books and a few odds and ends. And hotels in Atlantic City, Vegas, and a few other big gambling cities. Here was evidence of how much Spencer gambled and he settled down a little. He found where Spencer had bought his last set of clothes, the newer things that he had actually kept most of.

He had to make plans and he'd do it better while distracted. He settled his things in the suite before he unpacked his bag. He dug out the laptop and settled in. There were the parents of the children but they were off limits. The FBI was going after them but Spencer had other names. The first was Dominic Maguire and his wife Suzy. While he wasn't in the ring that bandied the name of The Company, he had brainwashed his wife in other ways. He wanted to do research before he went after him. 

Unlike in his world, Dominic was more thorough in hiding. It had been stupid simple for Spencer to find every single link between him and anyone else that matched from his world. He'd have to go to the source. So he made the plans for the next day. He wanted to enjoy it.

Spencer spent the day gathering money and he had a few thousand by the time that he entered a casino. As long as he stayed away from Blackjack, he'd be able to fly under the radar. When he stepped into the casino, a security guard stepped up to him and he paused. 

"Doctor Reid, the floor manager will be down in a moment to talk to you."

Spencer sighed. His high was going away. He really wanted to just have some fun. He followed the security guard to the bar. There he was given a glass of iced tea. He sat down and waited.

"Doctor Reid, we are happy to have you back for a night?"

"Possibly a few."

"Lovely. Did you want a room?"

"No. I'm staying inside of Chicago."

"A car back to there?"

Spencer eyed him for a few seconds before it all clicked. The other Spencer came there a lot and was a high roller. He was probably a high roller that gave back part of his winnings to the casino. 

"That would be lovely? Anyone fun to play with? What table is best?" Spencer could play this part. He could and he was going to have a lot of fun doing it. 

The entire night was spent playing and taking all the money he could from a table of men who were half drunk when they started to play and could barely talk by the time the last card was thrown down. He handed his chips over to the manager and watched as they took their part of the winnings and the rest of his were put into a safe for the next night. He was shuffled into a very nice limo and taken back to his hotel. 

He showered and once he was fully dry he slipped on his cuffs and his collar and laid down. Being in a different place was better. It was cold and clinical and didn't remind him of what he missed. 

The wakeup call came ten minutes after he was already up. He answered it out of breath and thanked them, having them send up oatmeal and orange juice for him. He took a little extra time on his morning yoga, having the chance to really center himself. He'd not got as much time to do it with demands of work. Between the cold cases he had in his apartment, his consults with other departments within the FBI, and the papers he was asked to write, he was shocked at exactly how much time the other Spencer actually spent working.. He had respect for what the man did, that he still found the time to fall in love, even if it was with someone he worked with. 

While he ate breakfast, he accessed the bank account and transferred a few thousand into the account for Diana at Bennington. His winnings has already covered the clothes he'd bought as well as some of the other things. When he got back that night, he'd be able to cover the rest of it and the next night would cover anything else he bought. He dressed himself and grabbed the things that he would need to take care of the Maguire's and then he left. 

Dominic Maguire thankfully lived in the suburbs and it wasn't hard to get a taxi to a close area and then walk the rest of the way. The walk was nice and it helped him get settled for what he was about to do. Committing the perfect crime was easier than cops wanted the average person to know. He watched as Dominic moved around the living room. He worked from home, as far as Spencer could tell. A knock on the door and Suzy answered with a smile. 

"Hello, my name is George. I was sent here by Malcolm."

"Oh, come in please." Suzy stepped back to let him in. Spencer followed and waited as she shut the door. When she turned to invite him father in, he grabbed her around her neck and covered her mouth with the other. Dominic came into the room thirty eight seconds later to see his wife being held by another man. 

"I wouldn't touch a phone if I were you, Dominic. You see, it wouldn't take much at all to snap your wife's pretty neck."

"Who are you?"

"My name is unimportant but what I want to know from you is the name of the man you were sending Malcolm Ford to. We can do it the easy way or the hard way. What is your choice?"

"I...You are bluffing," Dominic said, his eyes locked with Spencer's. 

Spencer leaned down and whispered "I'm sorry," into Suzy's ear before he shifted the arm wrapped around her neck to grip the edge of her jaw, he slipped his other to the other side and jerked. Suzy's head snapped sharply to the left and Spencer felt her bones break as he heard the crack. He let go and she dropped to the floor, dead. Dominic just stared at him in shock. Spencer stepped over the body, stepped up to the man and before he could do anything, Spencer was pulling a needle from his pocket and injecting him with a sedative. Dominic was dropping before he knew what had hit him. Spencer slipped on the gloves from his pocket before capping the needle again and slipping it back where he had got it. He picked up Suzy and carried her up to the master bedroom. There he found no evidence of her living there. The bed had a subtle dip and it was in the center. Spencer laid her down there, covering her up and closing her eyes. 

Moving to the other rooms, Spencer found an office, a workout room, and a guest room, there was no evidence of her there either. So he started searching the house. He found where Suzy seemed to live and that was the basement. He frowned at everything he saw around the room. While it didn't look too much different from the play room that Aaron had for them, there was a different feel to it, especially considering that the bed was well used. Suzy's life revolved around that room while Spencer's didn't. He never would have allowed Aaron to keep him confined to a room like this. Keeping her in the room like that meant that she was only his possession, a sex toy that he took out and played with and then put back. It didn't show love and understanding. Spencer fingered the collar at his neck. It wasn't one that Aaron had given him but it was as close as he was going to get. It showed enough of a commitment to Aaron that he was sure that Aaron wouldn't be that upset with him wearing a collar that he didn't put on him. 

It took no time at all to hook up Dominic to the pipe that ran down the wall at the back of the room and position him with his head in the large sink. He was very thankful that the man had the sink down there but it was not very well maintained. Nothing really was in the room. Dominic wasn't even half of the Dom that Aaron was and it showed, a lot. The drugs were short lived and he would wake up within ten minutes. Spencer filled the sink with water just until it brushed the tips of his hair. He turned the water off. Spencer grabbed a chair and sat down in it in front of where Dominic was upside down. 

The fluttering of Dominic's eyelids told Spencer that he was waking up. Spencer sat back in the chair and crossed his legs at the knees. He watched as the man realized he was upside down and started to scream. 

"No one is going to hear you. I don't know exactly how soundproof this room is but given that you've not had the cops called on you before tells me that it's soundproof enough. Tell me the name of the man who you were sending Ford to and I'll kill you quick, just like Suzy. Choose not to tell me and I'll let you die slow. Look down and see that water? I just need to turn the tap on again and it'll start to fill, your mouth and nose are below the fill line on the sink. You'll drown. Drowning is a horrible way to go, especially from this position." Spencer leaned forward on the chair. "So please, don't tell me because I'm looking forward to watching you die slowly." 

Dominic sputtered words but none of them were a name so Spencer barely listened to him. Instead, he turned the water on. He turned it on full blast and waited as the water filled to just where it would cover the man's nose. He tried to keep his head up out of the water but Spencer could tell he was tiring out as his head slipped back down for longer and longer periods of time. When the man started to cough water, Spencer drained the sink enough to where it wouldn't go in his nose but he couldn't open his eyes.

"Let's try this again. What's his name?"

Dominic just coughed and then went silent so Spencer started the tap again and waited for it to go over his mouth this time. He stayed back and waited for him to tire enough again to where he was underwater for over thirty seconds without coming up and again drained the water. 

"Name?"

"Paul Standish," Dominic gasped. 

Spencer smiled and sat down in the chair. He watched as Dominic stared at him but asked nothing, said nothing. At least he wasn't begging for his life. The man's face was red from all the blood that was rushing to it and his own tiredness of trying to stay above the water. He waited until the man was relaxed some before he turned the water on again. He left the basement this time. Tracking over everywhere he had been and running a rag over the entire place before finishing in the basement. He wiped down everything that he even might have touched, even with gloves on. When he was done, he pocketed the gloves and looked to where Dominic no longer moved. He didn't even turn off the water, just wiped off the handle for the drain valve and then the tap wheels and left. 

There was something in Spencer that was glad that he was going back to a nameless hotel. He showered and laid down to rest and process. He filed away the death to explain to Aaron when he got back.

* * *

Paul Standish was a seemingly normal to anyone who didn't know what to look for. Spencer though knew. He knew what to look for. Aaron had found and exposed enough of them when it was needed.

The man had horrible security on his home given the evidence of his depraved lifestyle he lived. Standish stumbled into the house at ten in the morning. Spencer had a list of names that he was going to leave for the cops after he killed Standish. If he was in his world, he'd go after all of them but if he did here, there was a very big chance that he'd get caught. 

Standish moved towards the kitchen. He hadn't even buckled his belt up from whoever he had just fucked. Spencer hated people like him. There was probably a prostitute out there somewhere with bruises that she or he didn't want and feeling like shit. He hadn't even seen Spencer sitting on his couch. He watched the man get food from his fridge and then plop down on a chair in front of his table. He grabbed the water that was just sitting in a glass on his table and drank deeply of it. 

Less than five minutes later, the man was woozy and bobbing and weaving at the table and then in another five he was crashing to the floor. Spencer found the room where he took the people he brought home. It was horrible and there was nothing safe about the room. Sane was long out the window and he wasn't even sure consensual ever entered the mind of Standish. And there wasn't a single bit of Risk-Aware Consensual Kink in it as he was sure that the man didn't pick and choose, he just went for what was pretty. 

The room was perfect though. It was disgusting and probably enough DNA to confuse the cops for weeks. Still Spencer was careful as he set up his things how he wanted. Standish was tied to the table and Spencer set out the kit that he'd found. Medical grade scalpels were hard to get a hold of on short notice unless one knew the underbelly of a city. Spencer knew what to look for so it wasn't difficult. He liked using them and not stilettos, like Aaron preferred, but he'd use them in a pinch. 

Spencer spent an hour, binding him to the table the way that he wanted after he stripped him naked. He made sure that his head couldn't move and his arms and legs were secure. Standish had a good table, the legs split so Spencer tied each leg separately. His arms were tied artfully so that there were a lot of interesting patterns. 

There was plenty of time between finishing tying his knots and Standish waking up. He set up the stage for how he was going to leave the man after he was dead. 

Standish woke with a groan. Spencer watched as he realized that he was immobilized - totally trapped. The terror in his eyes as he opened them and looked around was delicious. He hadn't spotted Spencer yet. He was trying to look around but his head was stuck. He hadn't started to scream and that kind of made Spencer sad. He'd have him screaming by the end though. Finally, Standish saw him. 

"Who are you?"

Spencer didn't answer him though. He picked up the first scalpel and moved to his left side. The man tried to shift away from him, trying to get out of the binding he was in. He made his first cut down the man's left side, from his nipple down to his navel, curving in and going up to his right nipple. He lifted the blade when he hit a rope and laid it back down again on the other side. The man was screaming for him to stop already. Spencer was really upset about that. 

Pushing away all thoughts about the man, Spencer slowly carved up the man's chest, the design only making sense in his head. It was extreme and he made shallow cuts many of them stopped bleeding in seconds. When he was done he moved to Standish's cheeks, carving deeper there. When he was done on the left, he moved to the right and made his mark there. He carved deep into the skin, marking him with the symbol that Subs in his world used to mark unsafe Doms. It probably didn't have a single meaning in this world but he didn't care. 

After Standish's cheeks, he moved to the man's legs. His screams were near constant. Spencer wasn't even sweating. He'd taken what he'd learned from Aaron about being his perfect Sub and had transferred that to what he'd learned in Japan. With the leaps and bounds that genetics was making, leaving sweat behind was a bad idea. He had control of his body. Perfect control. 

Matching patterns of cherry blossoms twined up the man's legs when Spencer was done. Each of the blossoms was deeper than the branches. After that Spencer traded out the scalpel for a thinner, better one. Used mainly in plastic surgery. Standish was crying the tears running down the sides of his face. Spencer still hadn't said a word to him. 

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because you don't deserve to live. I found your files. When the cops come to find your body they will find all the people you have ever helped to keep hidden from their families. You are going to burn in hell because, if there is one, the Devil, he's all about freedom, whereas you are not."

"What the hell do you know of anything?" Standish gritted out.

Taking off his gloves, Spencer opened his shirt collar. He showed him. He unbuttoned a few more and showed him his scars. "I consented to every single thing ever done to me. Limits were discussed and my Sir would never cross those lines. You allow those who have no choice to be kept in a life they don't want." Grabbing a new pair of gloves and slipping them on, Spencer held up the scalpel and made the first cut, from the root of his cock to the head. It was shallow, not going past the skin at all. 

"If a Dom has to threaten someone to become their Sub, their submission isn't true. That's called slavery. And the person who does that to them, is barely a human being."

Standish started to scream again as Spencer slowly flayed his cock. He laid the skin he removed on the man's chest, outside down on his chest. Standish's screams were piercing to Spencer's ears but he ignored them. He started at where he'd stopped the flaying and started to cut deep. He didn't stop until Standish's cock was in his hand. That he laid down on top of the skin he'd removed. He moved to his pack and took off his gloves. He slipped those into the freezer bag along with the other pair before he slipped the scalpel back where he got it and slipped his kit back into the bag. He turned to watch Standish bleed out from the cuts on his legs and where his cock used to be. 

There was no trace of him when he left, no evidence he'd ever been there and no cameras that caught him. He went back to his hotel, gathered his things and got on a train. From there he hopped a second train that would take him home.

* * *

Spencer waited at the door, hearing the locks on the other side. He'd texted Aaron hours before telling him he got lonely in Chicago. The man had known he'd chosen to not go to Atlantic City the day after the team had left. He had the names of the men and women he would need to check on, to make sure they were caught.

Aaron opened the door and smiled at him. He reached out and grabbed Spencer's hand, pulling him into the apartment and into his arms. Spencer dropped his bag and wrapped his arms around Aaron's neck. He bypassed kissing Aaron and instead buried his head in Aaron's neck, smelling that he was fresh from a shower.

"Hello to you, too," Aaron said with a smile in his voice evident by his tone. "What did you want to do?"

"Go to bed." 

"Yeah? Tired?" Aaron's voice dropped and little and his hands slid down to Spencer's ass.

"No. Wanna fuck." 

"Then let's take this to the bedroom," Aaron whispered in his ear before he nipped at it. Spencer nodded and let himself be pulled back farther into the apartment. They passed by Jack's room, a nameplate declaring it his. It was new. The door to Aaron's bedroom was already opened and Spencer followed him into it. The door was shut and there was only the light from the streetlights to illuminate the room. Aaron settled in at his back, working on pulling his shirt from his pants. Then his warm hands were sliding underneath and up, tucking the shirt up to near his armpits. "Take off your pants."

Spencer complied, working the button loose and then jamming the zipper down so fast he was sure that he'd break it. When he had done that he slipped the pants down to his feet. He wasn't told to take off his underwear so he didn't. Aaron mouthed at the back of his neck before starting to unbutton his shirt. 

"Underwear." 

Spencer shoved those down and wiggled so they fell to the floor. Aaron swept his shirt sleeves down his arms and it fell to the floor. He hadn't even looked to see what Aaron was wearing when he opened the door. He hadn't cared. He wasn't going to get the rewards he got when he did a job well done, taking care of issues. So he made up his mind he was going to get a reward that this Aaron could give him. He smiled.

"Go ahead and get your socks and shoes off." Aaron's voice was husky, telling Spencer exactly how aroused he was. Spencer did as he was told, bending over and thrusting his ass into Aaron's groin. When he was done, he stood up turning around to look at Aaron, who was just in a t-shirt and boxers. He stripped the older man of his shirt before teasing at his cock with his hand. 

"Aaron," Spencer moaned as the man grabbed him and pulled him close. His cock brushed Aaron's cloth covered one. He was spun and Aaron walked backwards towards the bed. He sat down and pulled Spencer closer, his lips teasing his cock. "Fuck, Aaron."

"That's what we are going to do, fuck." Aaron leaned back, pulling Spencer with him. Spencer braced himself over Aaron as the older man laid back before he scooted back to lay on the pillows. The sight of Aaron, any Aaron, spread out on the bed for him was just too much. He looked and started to get hard. "You gonna come up here and take what you want?"

Spencer smiled, keeping it from turning wicked because Aaron didn't know how much he was playing into Spencer's machinations. He nodded and watched as Aaron reached up under the pillow, pulling out a bottle of lube. So Aaron had been expecting sex. Spencer grabbed the lube and Aaron pulled his underwear off. Spencer slicked up his fingers and looked down at Aaron, leaning up and over him as he slid a finger inside of him. He planned to make him beg to be filled. 

When Spencer pressed two fingers into Aaron, he leaned down, licking from the base to the tip of his cock. Aaron went utterly pliant under him and he smiled. He was gentle when it was time for three fingers. Aaron hadn't talked about whether he'd been fucked before so he was going to go for the fact that he was an anal virgin unless he said something else. He pushed his three fingers in steadily and smiled as Aaron just gripped the sheets of the bed, his body covered in a sheen of sweat from arousal. His cock was hard and leaking but Spencer was ignoring it in favor of playing with his ass. He pulled his three fingers free, applying more lube before reaching down for where Aaron had dropped his boxers. He cleaned his hand and pushed two fingers back inside of his lover. He curled them and brushed them across Aaron's prostate. 

Spencer alternated between stimulating Aaron's prostate with two fingers and stretching him with three. Aaron's hands never left the bed, gripping the sheets and pulling up on them. 

"Please, please. Spencer, please." Aaron thrust down on the three fingers inside of him. Spencer slicked up his cock after he pulled his fingers free. He kept the boxers to clean his fingers once he was inside of Aaron. Leaning up, Spencer grabbed a pillow and Aaron arched up to allow him to slip it under his hips. 

"Are you ready?" Spencer asked. 

"Yes." Aaron spread his legs a little more and let Spencer get as close as he could. He leaned down to kiss Aaron before lining up to slide inside of him. As soon as he put pressure down on Aaron's hips as he leaned over him, Spencer saw the change in his face. He saw the fear in his eyes that weren't staring at him anymore. Spencer moved back away from him, slowly, wiping his hands clean. He didn't move away, just settled in on his knees between Aaron's legs. He watched him as he came out of the memory. Aaron's eyes eventually settled on him. 

"Back with me?" Spencer asked. He knew a flashback when he saw it. It wasn't a violent one. It could have been and Spencer wasn't exactly sure what he would have done if it had been - to have a memory of an Aaron fighting him, hurting him. 

"Yes."

"What was that, Aaron? Because we have to talk about it."

"No." Aaron looked away from him. 

"Yes." Spencer stood up and grabbed his underwear from the floor where they had fallen. He slipped them on before getting a clean pair of Aaron’s out of the drawer. He tossed them at his lover and just stood there staring at him as he put them on. 

"Spencer..."

"If you want to shut me out that's fine, Aaron. That's perfectly fine. It's your life. But that means that once I walk out there is no coming back for me. We are done." Spencer stopped talking and just waited. He waited for Aaron to say something but he didn't. So Spencer started to get dressed. He had his pants on in seconds, his shirt on his body a few seconds later. His socks came next and Aaron still hadn't said a word so Spencer grabbed his shoes and moved out of the bedroom. Whatever it was that happened in there was nothing he wanted to be a part of. He stopped at the couch and sat down to put on his shoes. He stood up when he was done and buttoned his shirt. He paused with his hand on the doorknob and waited. He counted to fifty before opening the door and stepping out. He made sure to lock the door as he pulled it shut. He looked at the elevator and chose to head towards the stairs. He took each step as slow as he could. 

When he hit a landing, Spencer pulled out his phone and turned it off of silent. There was no texts or calls from Aaron. Spencer slid the phone in his pocket. He thought about sleeping in a bed alone and how at the moment it might be the best. If Aaron was avoiding him because they were over, it would help keep him from seeing anything that he didn't want him to. He could make it work. 

By the time that he was at the door that lead into the lobby of Aaron's apartment building he had a wall around him. He looked back at the stairs and sighed as he opened the door. The lobby was empty and Spencer was glad of it. He opened the doors that lead outside and he turned up his collar, turning towards home. He'd find a cab on the way. His gaze was downward. 

Three steps in, Spencer bumped into someone. 

"Sorry," Spencer uttered as he looked into the face of the person he ran into. It was Aaron. He stopped and just took him in. He was shirtless and his jeans were buttoned but not zipped and he was staring at Spencer like he was afraid that he was going to disappear. 

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I." Aaron grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss but Spencer didn't want it. He slapped him. Aaron looked at him in shock and Spencer just stared at his hand. "God. I..." Aaron stepped back from him, holding his hands up. 

That answered a question that Spencer never thought he'd have to answer or even think of. He could hurt Aaron if he had to. 

"We need to talk. I know that but it doesn't have to be right now. We are both a little raw. I...if you want to go home, please but just call me when you get there." Aaron looked heartbroken. Spencer reached out and touched his red cheek. Where his own handprint was. He touched it and he took a step closer. Aaron didn't move at all. He let Spencer come to him. He let Spencer kiss his cheek. Spencer debated it but he knew himself. Without Aaron there to make him feel safe, he'd hide. He'd hide and never be alone with this Aaron again and he hadn't been violent, not like his mother. He hadn't been mean. He's surprised Spencer and had kissed him in the heat of the moment. It wasn't anything bad. It wasn't anything that he needed to be cautious of.

"Can we go upstairs?"

"Sure." Aaron looked hesitant and he held out a hand and Spencer moved up and let him wrap it around his waist, pulling him close. They said nothing as they walked into the lobby and over to the elevators. They were silent as they moved down the hall to his door, which was standing wide open. Spencer felt something bloom in his chest as he thought about how Aaron had run shirtless and left his door open to catch him. 

Aaron pulled him down onto his lap after he sat in one of the chairs. He was silent for a few minutes, his fingers traces the bones of Spencer's left hand before he started to speak. "It was Foyet..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Later today there will be a separate work posted that has lovely art that is being done for this series. So if you want to see that and not have to go hunting, please subscribe to the series added to this story.


	6. Chapter Six

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer was leaning back on his arms across Aaron’s desk, legs wrapped around Aaron’s waist as he tried to hold on to something, anything, as his lover plowed into him over and over.

“You are a deadly little kitten aren’t you Spencer? That mind hides the real danger,” Aaron was panting as he snapped his hips harder and faster into Spencer.

“Please, Sir, please,” Spencer was begging. His cock was so hard it was almost painful, but Aaron hadn’t even touched him yet. He let his head fall back onto the desk and nonsense words fell from his lips as he was fucked into over and over.

Aaron grunted and let out a laugh. Spencer was so pliant and wanton he couldn’t get enough of the man’s body. His eyes raked over the body that had changed so much over the weeks Spencer had been there. Lean muscles had started to form from Derek’s exercises and the running and biking Aaron, Spencer and Jack had done. Stomach taut, and strong arms had replaced the thinner frame. Aaron’s eyes couldn’t stop looking at the little golden hoops that were bouncing over Spencer’s nipples. His breath caught at the sight and a moment later his knees almost buckled with the force of the orgasm that ripped through him. He stayed buried in Spencer as he grabbed the now straining, leaking cock and using his hand he worked his lover towards release.

“Come now Spencer,” Aaron growled out his command and Spencer’s body bowed and a scream ripped from his throat as he came all over Aaron’s hand. He collapsed down on the desk panting and boneless.

Aaron pulled out and walked to the bathroom to clean-up. After a few moments, Spencer slid off the desk and walked on shaky legs to the bathroom. He wanted to jump into the shower, but he needed to protect the tattoo, so he went with just the soap and a wash cloth.

When he got back out he grabbed his clothes and slipped them on. He didn’t protest when he felt Aaron press against his back and settle hands on his hips.

“Ready to tell me now?”

Spencer closed his eyes and nodded. Aaron didn’t let him get too far away, he pulled him onto his lap when he sat down in his office chair.

Spencer laid back against Aaron and told him what happened with his Foyet and his Aaron. He told him about the stabbing, the stalking and killing of Haley. When he was done he was emotionally drained. It had been one of the worst times in not only the team’s life, but Aaron’s as well.

“I can’t help but feel like some kind of strange destiny is at play here. You and me, Georgie, Haley. I wonder how many realities we play out similar lives.”

“I don’t think I want to know the answer to that. Too many variables, too many ways that we could be different in each reality. I’m having a hard time with just the two that I have been subjected to.” Spencer snuggled closer on his lap and melted into those arms around him.

“Why Ethan, Aaron?” Spencer felt a hand in his hair and he almost purred at the feeling. He knew he was falling hard, even knowing the kind of man Aaron was, he was falling in love. He wondered how this was going to affect him when he got back home, if he got back home. He pushed those thoughts aside as he laid his hand on top of Aaron’s.

“I’ve only heard his story once, and he never wanted to talk about it again. I’ll tell you what I know. Spencer and Ethan were at CalTech together. Spencer was twelve, Ethan was fourteen. The school had special accommodations for their younger students. They were put in a room together and had, Spencer thought, become friends. You have to understand, he trusted no one. He let Ethan in and everything seemed okay, except it wasn’t. Ethan was abusing him. Verbally, mentally and emotionally. From what I could get out of him there was also some gaslighting going on as well. This went on for two years, Spencer.

“Just a few weeks before he went home on break, Ethan tried to rape him. He was woken-up in the middle of the night with Ethan on top of him. What Ethan didn’t know was that Spencer had years of learning how to avoid his mother. They fought and Spencer ran from the room to the dorm security. Ethan was taken to the Dean’s office and, fortunately, they believed Spencer. It didn’t hurt that other residents came forward and admitted they were witness to the bullying and abuse. Ethan was expelled immediately and Spencer wasn’t given another roommate. Of course he didn’t go back to CalTech. That was just before his mother attacked him, and I broke in and saved him. I brought him home and he went to school near here. And, if he did want to go to a school outside Virginia, I had a bodyguard with him at all times.”

Spencer was crying. He couldn’t ever see his own Ethan ever hurting him like that, but he understood the bullying. The football field coming back to him as he sat curled into Aaron reliving his own painful past.

“You’ve known your share of bullying, haven’t you?”

Spencer nodded, he didn’t want to talk about that, not yet at least. Aaron seemed to understand and let him cuddle with him. This, more than anything else, was something Aaron had missed.

* * *

The trust built back-up slowly. Spencer was now going into the relationship with eyes fully open. He was more comfortable in his own skin than he had ever felt before. The things they did in the playroom, he now craved as much as he craved his next breath. He no longer fought it. He let himself become what Aaron wanted of him. He no longer had to pretend and there was a type of freedom in this strange new life he was living. He was deep in thought when he felt himself being shaken.

“Spencer. We’re ready to put the finishing touches on the scale model.” He looked over at Charlie and mentally remarked on the changes in the man. Derek wasn’t the only thing that was good for him. The math and science was helping to center his friend as well. This Charlie was so like his own that Spencer was relieved. At least one person was the same and he took comfort in that.

“Okay, I’ll read out what needs to be done next while you finish up in the room.” Charlie smiled as he donned protective gear and went into the room with the almost finished collider. Carefully Spencer gave him direction on what to do and with steady hands Charlie worked slowly, and methodically. After about two hours they both breathed a sigh of relief as the collider was finished and humming with power running through it. Spencer was ecstatic. The first and most important part of the experiment was complete.

Over the next several days they did various tests to make sure the scale model of the Hadron Collider was stable. They did hundreds of small tests and each outcome was better than the previous. After two weeks, they agreed that they could begin the real test - trying to recreate the circumstances that brought Spencer to this reality.

“Are you ready Spencer?” Charlie turned to him with a smile on his face and everything was so achingly familiar to that fateful day that Spencer tried not to give in to his hope. He knew there was a high potential for failure to this endeavor.

“Ready.” Each step was carefully recreated to Spencer’s exact specifications. He went and took the numbers down from the readouts in the room with the collider, just like before.

“Okay, ready to introduce the God Particle Spencer.” Spencer held his breath when he went to open the door… nothing happened. The door clicked open, the collider hummed along and no accidental explosions. He sighed and tried his hardest not to be disappointed. He checked the analysis on the computers and the numbers were way off. He had all the numbers from the accident down in another program that he could use to help analyze how to make the collider come closer to what they needed.

“Well, we didn’t think it would work the first time. No experiment ever does. Don’t worry, we have no time limit Spencer.” Spencer sat at one of the computers in the lab that separated them from where the collider was secure.

“I know, here are the calculations from the accident. here’s where we are. We need to figure out how to get them to correlate and then figure out exactly what made the explosion. I think if we increase the energy here, just as the collider is building the internal energy, it might get us closer to where we need to be.”

“Okay, but not today. We’re both tired and I don’t want any mistakes here.” Charlie was cleaning-up and shutting down for the day when there was a knock on the main door. They looked up at the security cameras to see Derek standing outside. Spencer noticed his friend smile as he stood and let the man in. Spencer’s cheeks pinked at the very obscene kiss Derek gave Charlie.

“Ready Doc?”

“Yes Sir.” Charlie gathered his things and said his goodbyes to Spencer. They agreed to meet the next day in their study at the mansion. Spencer sat and stared at the machine in the other room and thought about the last weeks when something very important hit him like a ton of bricks. His Mother. He hadn’t written his mother a letter in twelve weeks that was 92 days, twelve hours, 23 minutes and sixteen seconds of no communication with her. He tried not to panic. He didn’t know what his mom would think about not receiving any letters from him. Then the guilt crashed down on him for not even thinking about what all of this might be doing to her, for surely with the other Spencer’s familial history he would never try to write to his mother.

Spencer was lost in his head, in the guilt he was feeling, when he was broken out of his rumination by a pounding on the door. He unfolded himself from the chair and reached-up to wipe his face when he realized he had been crying. He looked up at the security camera. Despite the darkness he knew that figure. His head whipped around and looked up at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was almost eleven at night. Spencer had been lost in his head for almost six hours. He ran to the door and an angry Aaron strode in. He did not even hesitate as he sank to the floor, hands behind his back and head down.

Aaron didn’t say a word as he walked to Spencer’s work station and grabbed his phone, unlocked it and saw all the messages and phone calls that had gone unanswered.

“Care to explain this?” The cold, flat tone did nothing to Spencer as he held position and tried not to move.

Spencer bowed his head and shook it from side to side. He was not sure he could speak and not break down.

“I was worried for you Spencer. When Derek and Charlie came back from their club and you were not back I became concerned. Then the hours just ticked by and no return of messages, no answering the phone. Well, you can’t imagine what I was thinking.”

Spencer stayed quiet as he closed his eyes.

“Speak Spencer!” Aaron was standing in front of him again and all he saw was the perfectly polished shoes. Shame, anger, guilt and fear were all warring within him. He wasn’t surprised when Aaron grabbed the back of his hair and forced his head up. He saw Aaron frown, but he didn’t break. “You will tell me what’s going on.”

The wetness in Spencer’s eyes had Aaron narrowing his.

“Do you not want to talk about it, or can you not talk about it?”

Spencer wanted to tell him, he did, but it had taken years to tell his Aaron about his mom and that was on accident. His mom was precious, to be protected, and the shame he was feeling went deeper than just not being able to send her his letters. All he could do was shake his head because the words just wouldn’t come.

Aaron lowered himself and sat back on his heels never taking his hand off Spencer. Something was very wrong here and he knew it. He moved his hand in Spencer’s hair to where he was gripping harder and closer to the scalp. The small whine his sub emitted had him looking closely at the younger man.

“I’m going to let you go. I have a kit in the car, do you need cuffs?” Spencer took a moment to think about it and slowly nodded yes. “You will stand, you will go to the car and get in the front seat. I will put the cuffs around your wrists then drive us home. Once there you will go to the playroom and strip then wait for me. Do you understand?”

Spencer nodded and almost whined at the loss of contact. He stood and did exactly what Aaron told him to do. When the felt the weight of the hard, black leather cuffs it almost settled him. He still didn’t speak. It was as if all his words were tied up in his guilt and shame. When they got to the house Aaron unhooked the cuffs from each other and Spencer didn’t hesitate as he went to the playroom and stripped.

Aaron was there a few minutes later with a heavy looking braided flogger in his hand. Each strand was about a ¼ inch thick and at the end were hard looking heavy knots. Spencer had never seen that toy before, and he wondered about it.

“When Spencer first came here, he was emotionally and psychologically a wreck. He didn’t feel safe or secure. Oh, he trusted me, but we still didn’t know each other. When I tried to give him a separate room that first week I would wake up with him clinging to me.

“He had seen the chain and asked about it. I told him about my lifestyle and asked if it would make him uncomfortable. He told me no and asked to try the cuffs. That night was the first night I cuffed him to my bed. Though there was an attraction there, I didn’t touch him sexually till he was eighteen. He wore clothes as did I, to bed.” Aaron walked around Spencer talking, telling him more of their story, though he wasn’t sure where this was going.

“I knew from the start that I couldn’t send him to a psychiatrist. He had asked about it and I told him no. I understood how smart and intuitive he was and I knew no psychiatrist could help him. He’d talk circles around them.

“He was closed off, though. Wouldn’t talk much those first few months. I proposed an idea to him. It was risky, especially with what I knew about the abuse from his mother, and possibly his father. I told him I knew ways I could help the words get unstuck. I showed him the playroom and this flogger. He was scared, but intrigued at the same time. When we were done, he broke down and told me everything. I sat with him in my lap, soothing him, reassuring him that everything I did it was out of caring. After that he trusted me even more. When the words would get stuck he would seek me out and I’d help him find them. We haven’t had to do this in years.

“I propose the same to you. I can help you find your words Spencer. You’re lost in here,” Aaron reached out and cupping the side of his face he ran a hand over his forehead, “Aren’t you?”

Spencer nodded and he tried his hardest not to cry.

“Do you trust me?”

Again, Spencer nodded.

“Do you remember your safe word?” The affirmation from Spencer had Aaron nodding his head right back. “Come here.” Aaron moved to a piece of equipment that looked almost like an unpadded pommel horse. It had cross planks and chains that could be made longer or shorter. Aaron pulled the chains close till they were almost flush with the planks. “Kneel facing the cross.” Spencer quickly knelt down, a face rest was flipped out from the middle and Spencer laid his head in it. Then Aaron had him stretch his arms out to the sides. He attached the cuffs to the chain and locked the chain in place.

“We’ll go slow and when you know you can talk to me use your safeword.”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer finally found his voice, but it was soft, he felt fragile, like the smallest thing would break him.

Aaron lifted the flogger and swung. The first contact was a thud and Spencer just flinched. Aaron knew he needed to increase slowly, he didn’t want Spencer to go into a full drop which was what he was witnessing. He started sweating - the flogger getting heavier in his hand as time went on. Spencer was shaking with sweat pouring down him as he struggled with himself.

Aaron was about to give up and switch to a different implement, a scream ripped from the younger man and he was yelling his safeword. Aaron knew he could finally stop and that Spencer was ready to talk. He quickly undid the cuffs and helped Spencer to stand. He gently lifted his lover and walked to the large comfortable leather chair and sat with Spencer wrapped around him.

“Tell me Kitten, what has you so upset.”

Spencer buried his head against Aaron’s chest and tried to curl up.

“It’s my Mom. I didn’t do this just to myself, but my Mom too. I write her, everyday and send the letters at the end of the week. It’s been 92 days, that’s 92 letters I haven’t written.” Spencer curled his hand in Aaron’s shirt and let himself cry.

Aaron couldn’t say that he understood. His Spencer hated and feared his Mother. She was so far gone in her delusions that Spencer wasn’t even human to her anymore. But this man he was holding, loved her. He loved her and protected her and Aaron tried to understand.

“I’m sorry Spencer, I don’t know how to help you with this.”

“You can’t. I know he isn’t going to. I’m scared Aaron. I’m scared that she’s going to think something horrible happened to me, and it’s going to make her mind shatter even more and it’s my fault. It’s all my fault.” Spencer cried even harder. His Mom meant everything to him and now she was gone to him.

Aaron for the first time in a very long time had no words he could give. He could, on one level, sympathize with Spencer’s pain. But, he didn’t understand it, didn’t understand the connection this man had with his mother. All he could do was sit there and soothe.

Spencer knew that Aaron didn’t understand. He had come to learn that this Aaron was a dichotomy of emotions. In everyday interactions he was hard, cold, but fair to those that were loyal. But, here, at home with him and Jack he was loving, but he lacked the empathy that his Aaron had. Spencer figured it out, though, that right now he didn’t want that empathy. After he purged himself and the shaking stopped he felt himself falling asleep.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer was glad that he'd kept up most of his exercise routine. The hand to hand was probably lacking a little, but there was no one he could practice that with here. He was bound to be a hell of a lot better than this Spencer. Aaron didn't let him be anything but the best at everything. After they had gotten back from a case the night before, Aaron had asked him to spend the night. He'd agreed. They stopped so he could get clean clothes and grab his mail before they headed to Aaron's. He'd been shocked that the older man had only wanted to cuddle in the night.

But when they awoke, Aaron had asked him to run with him. Spencer had bought new running clothes for himself and kept a pair in his go bag. Sometimes it was the only thing that got him to sleep at night during cases. Running until he was too tired to do anything but pass out. He knew that he was slowly dropping. There wasn't a way that he couldn't be. The runs only delayed it. And the minor playing he was able to force out of Aaron. It wasn't enough and he needed to figure out something that would get him what he needed without betraying his Aaron and worsening his drop.

Aaron had woke him up with kisses all over his face but the man ignored both their erections. He was pulled up and convinced to go on a run to get his blood pumping. Aaron asked him how long he wanted to run for and found that Aaron liked to do ten miles on the weekend and Spencer happily agreed.

Running could give him a high if he needed it. Knowing that Aaron was right there behind him, knowing that doing it was pleasing Aaron. He'd learned to like running because it made Aaron happy. Running this time though felt strange. He had needed time to get used to running beside Aaron and not in front of him. By the second mile he was kind of okay with it and by the eighth mile he was okay with Aaron beside him.

Entering Aaron's apartment behind him, he thought about showering and eating breakfast. On the run, he'd seen a nice little café that looked like it had a nice menu and was right up his alley. He hoped he could talk Aaron into eating there and then going to pick up Jack. He missed the boy. Spencer closed the door and turned to head towards the back of the apartment. An arm wrapped around him tightly from behind. He felt Aaron's erection press into him and he groaned. That hadn't even been on his mind.

Turning in Aaron's arms, Spencer looked into his eyes. They were black with lust. He pulled up Aaron’s shirt to touch his skin as the older man took his mouth in a kiss. Aaron kept his arm wrapped around Spencer's body keeping him right where he wanted him. Spencer kept his hands on Aaron's stomach, palming and squeezing the flesh while Aaron was doing things with his lips and tongue that made his head spin and scratching just enough to excite when he tried to slow things down.

Spencer didn't know up from down by the time Aaron started to back him up. He was still sweaty from the run and the wall felt freezing cold as he was pressed into it. He broke the kiss to hiss at the sensation. Aaron didn't even pause, just moved to his chin and then down his neck, licking up the sweat that was on his skin.

Grabbing at the edge of Aaron's shirt, Spencer lifted it up and Aaron pulled away just long enough for him to rip it up and over his head. The wall was already chilling his body down so when Aaron pressed into him, the heat at his front and the cold at his back dueled in his mind. He moaned loudly. Aaron kissed him again to muffle the sound.

Hands worked down to his pants and pulled them down, heard the thunk of shoes and then a foot was dragging his pants down the rest of the way. The hands grabbed his asscheeks next and pulled him into Aaron's groin, hard. He wanted it badly. He wanted fucked badly.

The snap of lube cap sounded seconds after one of the hands left him.

"Turn around," Aaron said.

Spencer couldn't move fast enough to comply. He planted his hands on the wall and tried to move to take off his running shoes but Aaron wasn't letting him. Instead he used his thumb and a finger to spread apart Spencer's ass cheeks and then he felt a finger sliding inside of him.

"Tell me as soon as you are ready," Aaron panted in his ear. Spencer could only nod. The finger pulled out but only the single digit slid back inside of him. It was just wetter. It thrust in and out of him, slowly, maddeningly. Every single time that it was pulled out of him, it went back in but never two fingers, just more lube. His body relaxed as kisses were placed on his sweaty back and neck.

"Now, now. In me now." Spencer heard as pants hit the floor and then Aaron was pressing into him. The stretch was wonderful and he thrust down a little harder onto Aaron's cock. Aaron whispered words into his skin of how good he felt, how hot he was. Every single one went right to Spencer's cock, making him hard as rock. Aaron fucked him like he ran with a single minded determination with the goal to get off rather than winning a race.

Aaron stayed pressed to him and his lips never left his skin.

"Harder, please, Aaron. Harder. Please, fuck me harder," Spencer begged, his voice breathless. Aaron wrapped an arm around his waist to hold him steady and right where he wanted him as he did as he asked. Harder and harder Aaron fucked him. Spencer could barely keep his head from banging into the wall. Right as Spencer was about to come, Aaron pulled out. The loss was great and Spencer slumped down and groaned loudly.

Aaron manhandled him around to where they were facing. Before Spencer could even say anything, Aaron was grabbing his thighs and lifting. Spencer braced his back against the wall as he wrapped his arms around the older man. As soon as he was braced, Aaron lifted him up to wrap his legs around his waist. Aaron guided himself back inside him and Spencer could only hold on as he was fucked hard against the wall.

"Are you close?" Aaron asked after he sucked a bruise on Spencer's neck, right where his collar usually lay. When he wore it next, he'd feel that every single time he moved his neck. That didn't help him try and hold on. He still needed permission.

"Yes."

"So am I. Can you hold until I go?"

"Yes." Spencer clamped down on his cock with his muscles. Making the slide of cock in and out of him just that much tighter. Aaron fucked into him a few more times and then groaned. At the feel of the cock swelling inside of him, Spencer came. Aaron's legs gave out but it was a controlled descent down with Spencer ending up in his lap.

"You...you don't..."

"Breathe, Aaron. Just breathe." Spencer carded his hand through Aaron's short hair. His own was growing back out again and was just about the perfect length for him to need a cut.

"I've wanted to do that since we started running together three years ago," Aaron said as he pulled back to look at him. He cupped Spencer's face and kissed him. "Every single time we came back here, I'd be hard as a rock and you either never noticed or didn't say anything."

"The release of adrenaline and the pumping of your blood can account for that. There is a lot of guys who get them. There was no way to know that it was me. Several of the boys' in high school got them running PE."

"I'm not a teenage boy."

"But you are a man who had a healthy sexual appetite when married and you've probably kept that up masturbating after Haley."

"You didn't get hard while running today," Aaron pointed out.

Spencer wasn't going to tell him that he wasn't allowed to get hard unless his Aaron was touching him. "I don't get hard from running. I've never had a long term sexual monogamous relationship before you."

Aaron moaned and pulled him in for a hard kiss. Spencer allowed him to dominate the kiss, tugging on that part of Aaron that Spencer was attempting to release.

"You can't say things like that," Aaron said as he pulled back.

"The truth? Why not?"

"You make it sound like I snagged you. Like you were Morgan before."

"You talked about being jealous when I spoke of the person who taught me to suck cock like I do. Where do you think I learned it? In my books?" Spencer nosed in around his face, letting him nuzzle back. He was shocked when he felt the arm around his waist tighten and Aaron jerked him in tighter. There was a growl that emanated from low in his lover's throat. "Don't like me talking about others?"

"You're mine now and I don't like to share." Aaron seized his mouth in a kiss that had their teeth clashing together and Spencer felt his lip split. When Aaron pulled back, he was breathing hard and the look on his face was so close to Spencer's own Aaron that it made his heart ache a little.

"Yes, Aaron. I'm yours now. I don't want anybody else." Spencer relaxed down into his Aaron's body and rested his head on his shoulder, his face turned towards his neck. Aaron's hands moved up and down Spencer's back. Spencer could feel his heart still pounding from getting excited and territorial about him.

"Mine," Aaron murmured as he wrapped his arms around him, holding him close. Spencer felt himself relaxing slowly even more down into Aaron. "You are mine."

Spencer just hummed in answer. He was sweaty and covered in fluids from both him and Aaron but right now he could push that from his mind as this was needed more. For him and for Aaron. They sat like that until the semen on his shirt was dry. The sun was fully rising and Spencer's stomach growled.

"Let's get cleaned up and get you fed." Aaron helped him up. Spencer had slipped on his shorts so they could move through a few cool down stretches so they wouldn't be sore.

The shower was quick and just about getting clean. Spencer had packed a pair of jeans that looked fantastic on him and a shirt that screamed to be touched, hoping that Aaron wouldn't stop touching him. Aaron dressed in a pair of slacks and a t-shirt, topping it with a very light pullover. He looked edible. Spencer kissed him once they were both dressed, letting his hands wander everywhere. It was a habit that he was not breaking. When they were alone together, especially at home, Aaron loved him touching him.

Spencer's stomach growled again and he laughed. Aaron just looked at him with a slight frown. Spencer dropped the laughter and allowed himself to be all but shoved out of the apartment. He was barely able to grab his bag as he passed it. The little café was in walking distance so Spencer tucked himself into Aaron's side as they walked.

There was a table available outside when they got close so Spencer went right for it and took the seat that had his back to everyone and allowed Aaron the seat that would give him a view of everything. The menus were in the middle of the table. Aaron picked up two and handed one over to Spencer. He ducked his head and blushed a little as Aaron was staring at him. He looked over the menu before setting it back where it belonged. When he looked up Aaron was staring at him again.

"What?" Spencer tried not to shift around and check to make sure that he looked fine.

"You... I can see the mark I left on you. I just... you usually cover them up." Aaron finally looked down at his menu.

"Well, we are out and about today. If we get called on a case, I'll gladly cover it up. I like the thought of it signifying to others that I'm someone else's and if you walk with your arm wrapped around me like we did, they'll know that I am yours." Spencer didn't look at Aaron as he spoke, instead he dug around in his bag for the mail he'd grabbed out of his box. There were bills to merely check the amount due and a slightly thick letter that seemed to be from Atlantic City.

Frowning, Spencer looked at it. The address didn't pop in his head so he opened it. There was a few sheets of paper and two plane tickets inside. He set the tickets aside and looked at the first sheet. It was a confirmation of his reservation for a suite at the Borgata. The next sheet of paper was the entry confirmation into the tournament being played at the same location. Next was a list of things for him to do to fill the hours of the morning and afternoon that would interest him.

"Spencer?"

"Oh, I just... I forgot about my leave coming up."

"Yes. I saw you had put in for a week off and that it was marked a no call out. There was a note of cheek from Strauss that you had said that if you were called out, the FBI could refund the money you used to mark your place. Strauss talked everyone into taking the week off, just in case."

"Poker tournament in Atlantic City. One million dollar buy in. With everything with us, I just forgot that it was close." Spencer picked up the tickets and found the one with Aaron's name on it. He set it down on the other man's side of the table. Aaron picked it up and looked at it. His eyes widening when they reached his name. "I meant to ask weeks ago. I understand if it's too sudden and too soon."

"No, it's..." Aaron leaned back in his chair after he set down the ticket again. "I didn't have any plans for it as it's not summer. Jack's going away for the weekend before to visit with cousins who are coming in from California. I just need to talk to Jessica. Excuse me," Aaron said as he stood up from the table, pulling his phone out. When he passed Spencer, he kissed his cheek.

Spencer ordered coffee and juice for the both of them when the waitress came to take their drink order. A week away with just the two of them was going to be fun. He was looking forward to the tournament. The waitress set down two carafes, one filled with orange juice the other with coffee just moments later while Spencer was doing research into the tournament and the booked hotel. He realized that it was a very nice suite. Spencer had spent a good bit of money on it. It wasn't the honeymoon suite or one of the penthouses, but he figured that those had gone to the main players in the tournament, the men who made a living running the circuits.

Aaron had gone far enough away that the conversation would not be overheard by any of the diners of the café so Spencer allowed himself to think about what his Aaron and the other Spencer were doing. Spencer would remember the tournament and convincing his Aaron to go wouldn't be hard to do. Whether at work or at play, Aaron loved to see Spencer lord himself over others. He loved Spencer's steel spine. Of course, they had a penthouse already in Atlantic City so that, for them, would be easy. The money wasn't an issue, if Aaron let the other Spencer use money from his account. Spencer has his own issue with going about in this world. He wasn't a high profile target like in his own and the Borgata would have their own security for the in house tournament.

Theft wasn't an issue because all money transfers were handled from accounts to accounts at such a high profile event. No one walked out with the prize money in a bag.

The sound of feet moving towards him had Spencer turning to make sure that it was Aaron. The man had a smile on his face. Spencer smiled back at him. He sat down and looked in shock at the coffee and orange juice that Spencer poured for him before filling his own cups.

"I ordered juice and coffee but not our meal."

"Jessica is more than happy to take Jack. She thinks that a week off and away from DC will do me good. Jack sounded excited for what we will bring back for him."

"I limit myself. The buy in was paid a year ago with the winnings from last year and I have a fund that I access. If you wish I can have a fund set up for you. I don't draw out of my regular accounts when I am there. Outside of what I have set aside for Christmas, if I see something that I think a friend would like I get it." Spencer was lying out his ass but he figured that it was close enough to what Spencer did given the list for the fund account that had only certain open dates. The balance from the year before as well what had been spent showed that even when in a city like Atlantic City he had great restraint. Spencer was sure that he wouldn't be as cautious when it came to the city. He'd have to make sure to keep the account at a good level before he left.

"You made enough last year for the buy in?"

"Always. It's part of why Strauss isn't going to call me. I'd make the FBI pay. Our leaves are interrupted too much when other teams can handle it but her vanity pushes her to call us back. It's not any wonder that the BAU has a turnover like it does. The burnout rate. We need time to ourselves or we will become what we hunt."

"Let's not talk of that. So the tournament is a week long?"

"Sometimes less if hot heads prevail. Never shorter than five and never more than seven."

The waitress came back and Aaron ordered and then Spencer did. Spencer handed over the list of activities in Atlantic City so Aaron could mark anything that enticed him.

"We can pay ahead of time for the things we want to do." Spencer stood up and moved to the seat that was right beside Aaron, pulling it just that little bit closer so he could lean on his lover. While they waited for the food to arrive they talked about the early shows that were being put on. There were shops that Spencer wanted to visit and a few things that he wanted to do, seeing the list of smaller shows.

"Who put this list together?"

"The tournament runners. I play in several that they organize and they have a list of things that I enjoy. It's not hard for them to put this together. They do it for a lot of the players who attend year to year and those that follow along with them from city to city. We can see about setting up another list for you. Some events are single night and I go to them when I can over the weekends."

"We can do that." Aaron kissed the side of Spencer's head and pulled him closer with an arm wrapped around his shoulders. They only separated when the food was placed in front of them.

"What does Jack want to do today?" Spencer asked when their food was nearly all gone. Spencer had drank half of the juice and talked Aaron into drinking the other half. Subtle moves like that had Aaron eating better. He hadn't eaten that badly before, but there was always room for improvement.

"He wants to play at the park. I figure that he'll be content there until late afternoon. One of us can go and grab lunch when we start to get hungry."

"Sounds wonderful."

Hours later, Spencer was laying in the shade of a tree while Jack and Aaron played a game of soccer with two other sets of kids with adults. He looked around, not able to get away from keeping a close eye on those around him. In one of the alcove areas near trees, he saw a man doing yoga. He watched him for many minutes before the man stood up, finished with whatever set that he had. The black ring around his neck didn't stand out to Spencer but he saw several people who were looking at him with frowns on their face. When the young man turned, Spencer was shocked to see that it wasn't just a collar worn for fashion but one that locked. The lock hung down and swung slightly as he moved towards the gym bag.

Spencer looked over to where Aaron and Jack were and they were engrossed in their game so he stood up and moved towards the man. He bent over, stretching and Spencer saw the faint marks from a whip healing on the man's back, visible only because he bent down to grab his bottle of water.

"Hello," Spencer said. The man spun around and looked at him with wide eyes. "I am new to DC and find that my ways of release are harder to find here."

The man's eyes softened as he looked at him, his eyes moved up and down his body before settling on his neck.

"I am glad you saw me. I happen to have a card for a place that I think you'll find a crowd that will be to your liking. From there, if it is not, you can find a few others more tame or more wild." The man bent over and pulled a card from his yoga bag. He handed it over to Spencer making sure their hands did not touch. The card was simple and purple. Spencer laughed at it before slipping it into his pocket.

"Thank you. Maybe I'll see you and your Sir there." Spencer turned back, not wanting Aaron to see him talking to a stranger, not yet. The activities Aaron might see at the club were far too foreign for him to tolerate just yet. Still, Spencer hoped that one day soon, maybe they wouldn't be.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer was sitting on the round table in the office looking at a newspaper and tried not to sigh. He had forgotten in all the craziness that was now his life about the tournament. He had reserved a spot when he had gone the previous year. His vacation had been set and plane tickets and hotel reservations had been made. He had wanted to ask Aaron to go with him, to maybe push their relationship further. Now, though, he knew he had no chance of going. Setting the paper aside he picked up his plate that he had set aside and started eating again. Aaron was in court. It was the final session of the James Heathridge hearings. After all these long weeks they were finally in the closing arguments stage. Aaron had a good case and he believed he was going to win.

Spencer had opted to stay in the office. They were behind on some casework and he and Aaron agreed that it was a good day to catch-up. Aaron had also started to trust him with some of the other business dealings he was involved in like Grimes Industries. Spencer, thankfully, understood many of the reports that came to them for the various businesses Aaron had his hand in, all of them legitimate, of course. Spencer was coming to understand that Aaron’s illegal activities were solely held to government and politicians, from local government on up.

One day while thoroughly going through the desk in the office at the mansion, Spencer had found a locked filing drawer. It didn’t take much for him to break into it. The lock was sophisticated, and any other person wouldn’t have been able to, but he’d learn to pick locks young because his mother would randomly lock things up at the house. She would insist that the government had surveillance equipment in the silverware, or the junk drawer, and, one time Spencer’s own closet. What Spencer found in the file drawer were journals. They included a full accounting of all the things this Spencer had done. It should have shocked him, really, but it didn’t. He had seen too many atrocities working as an agent to be shocked by the revelations in the journals. In a weird kind of way, that knowledge had been one of the things that had settled him. Knowledge always helped him and this time was no different.

After finishing his late lunch he cleaned-up and went back to his desk to finish up some of the pending paperwork. It was hours later when a very happy Aaron walked through the doors of his office, strode up to Spencer and kissed him thoroughly.

“I take it that court went well?”

“We won Spencer. James Heathridge is being moved from the prison to the state mental hospital for the criminally insane. He will get the doctors and treatment that he deserves. A conservator is going to go check on the sister and provide us with monthly updates.”

Spencer stood and kissed Aaron, “Congratulations.”

“I want to celebrate, take a weekend and go somewhere. We’ll have JJ watch Jack because I want you all to myself.”

Spencer looked at the paper then looked at Aaron. He really wanted to ask about the poker tournament because he really wanted to go. He dropped to his knees in Aaron’s favorite position and waited.

“Kitten? You have something you want to ask me?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Aaron grabbed a chair and sat down in it. He tugged at Spencer’s hair till he was looking up at Aaron.

“Then ask me.”

It all came spilling out at once. The tournament, how in his world he had already booked the trip and had a special account that he set aside that would unlock for just this purpose and how he really wanted to go. He knew he was rambling and the more he talked, the more nervous he got.

“Kitten,” Aaron said sharply. Spencer snapped his mouth shut and just watched Aaron for a moment. “Then we’ll go. All you had to do was ask. We already have a penthouse suite so not much to arrange. We’ll take the Cessna. I’ll call Jax and have him meet us. He has a new sub that he’s been wanting to introduce to us. This is perfect.”

The next couple of days were a flurry of activity as they worked to close a couple more cases, get paperwork filed, and clear-up anything still pending. Aaron wanted a clean desk when they came back the following Monday. Spencer was in the unique position to not be anxious if a call came through and his week be ruined. By the time they were on the plane and heading to New Jersey he was practically humming with excitement.

“I think someone needs to relax.”

“Sorry, it’s just one time a year that I get to be totally myself.”

Aaron beckoned Spencer to sit in his lap. As soon as Spencer was settled a hand unbuttoned his jeans and reached in and pulled out his quickly hardening cock. Spencer laid his head on Aaron’s shoulder and thrust into that hand. There wasn’t much they could do on the plane but Spencer couldn’t deny that it felt so good.

“You are going to look gorgeous in the outfit I bought you. I can’t wait to take you to the club and show you off. Make everyone there jealous of what I have.” Aaron snaked a hand up his back and fisted his hair, pulling till Spencer was looking at him. The kiss was hot and Spencer wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold back. He was too excited and Aaron was short-circuiting his brain, his control slipping. Aaron pulled back just enough to whisper to him.

“It’s okay Kitten, go ahead, I know you want to come.” Pulling Aaron’s head back to him he kissed back with such need that he ached with it. Only a few more pulls to his aching cock and he was coming in Aaron’s hand. “That’s it, god you’re beautiful when you come.” Spencer was slumped in Aaron’s arms not wanting to move. Luckily Aaron had already had cleaning clothes with him and though it was awkward, he was able to clean Spencer and his hand. Settling back, he wrapped his arms around Spencer and held him till they landed just a few minutes later.

When they disembarked, Spencer saw a car and driver waiting for them. He sent a silent thank you that it wasn’t a limo. That would have been too much for him to handle. All the wealth he was being exposed to had been uncomfortable, especially with how much he had to do to keep him and his mother afloat. Sliding in the car as the driver retrieved their bags, Spencer belted in and laid his head back. He reflected on the last fourteen weeks of his life and knew without a doubt that he had succumbed to Stockholm syndrome. He wasn’t a captive in the classic sense, but he was trapped. If he left Aaron, he knew there would be no chance of ever returning home. Spencer looked out of the window as they passed through the streets of Atlantic City and worried about his own psyche. He had not only accepted the things this Aaron wanted from him, but he craved them. Closing his eyes he tried to quiet his thoughts.

Moments later Spencer was being gently shaken as they had made it to their hotel. Stepping out, Aaron came around and pulled him into his arms. They walked together inside and Spencer was stunned, yet again, at the subtle understated luxury of the place. Wrapped around each other they walked up to the concierge desk and a pretty blonde woman looked up.

“Mr. Hotchner, it’s so good to see you again. And you, Dr. Reid. Your Penthouse is all ready for you, sir.”

“Thank you, Melissa. Which chefs are on duty today?” Melissa named a few and Spencer saw Aaron contemplating a moment. “Can you see that Michele is available for us for the week? And I’d like Anthony as our valet.”

“Of course. I’ll send them up as soon as possible, Mr. Hotchner. Are you here for any special occasions?”

“The poker tournament at the Borgata. Spencer will be playing. I want to arrange for a bodyguard and personal security for him while we are here.”

“Of course. Would you like to use Diamond Security or The Parker Agency?”

“Parker. See if Tim and Andre are still with them. If they are that would be my preference.”

“I will arrange everything Mr. Hotchner. You and Dr. Reid won’t have to worry about a thing.”

“Thank you, Melissa.” Spencer hadn’t said a word as they walked through the lobby to a special elevator that needed a key card. Releasing Spencer, Aaron took out his card and slipped it into the elevator. It didn’t take long for them to step out and into the entryway of a very large penthouse apartment. The living room alone was as big as Spencer’s apartment back in his own world.

“Jackson and his sub will be joining us later this evening. We share the penthouse, plenty of room for all of us. Come, this is our room.” Aaron led Spencer through to a suite of rooms to the left of the main living room. He wanted to explore, but he sensed that Aaron wanted to go to the bedroom first. “You need rest, there will be plenty of time for other things, but right now, food and rest are on the agenda. Do you have the tournament itinerary?”

Spencer pulled the papers he had been e-mailed after entering his name at the last minute into the tournament.

“There is a meet and greet in about an hour. Then the first of the elimination rounds in the 25,000 dollar slot.”

“Take a half an hour, then we’ll make our way to the Borgata.” Spencer nodded and taking his bag off, he set it in a corner. Unlike a lot of players, he didn’t take any talismans as he didn’t believe in ‘luck’. He believed in pure skill alone. He knew he needed to relax and get himself in the right headspace for the elimination rounds, or he wouldn’t make it past tonight. Taking a half hour was just what he needed. He was surprised that Aaron had left him alone, but after hearing all the arrangements that he was handling with Melissa, he figured that Aaron wanted to get all of that settled. He settled himself on the bed, piling pillows behind him, and utilized some of the meditation exercises he had been learning to help clear his mind. When Aaron came in a few minutes later with their luggage, Spencer felt better, more relaxed and though mildly nervous, like always, he felt ready. All he had to do was change out of the clothes he was wearing and he’d be ready to go.

Pulling his suitcase and garment bag to him he pulled out fitted black trousers, a fitted purple button down with a paisley pattern, and a fitted black vest with gray accents at the neck and pocket. He slipped the outfit on as well as the black dress shoes. He forewent a tie, but he did add a pocket handkerchief in the same purple as the shirt. He stepped into the bathroom and with just some light hair product he tamed his curls. His hair had grown in the time he had been in this world, but he hadn’t cut it, Aaron liked it this length. Their personal stylist only clipped it every couple of weeks to keep it in good condition. When he felt satisfied with how he looked he stepped out of the room. The heated look he got from Aaron told him that he made the right choices.

“If this wasn’t such an important night, I’d slip your pants down and fuck you in that outfit. Jesus Kitten, you are going to turn a few heads and I won’t even pretend not to be jealous.” Spencer couldn’t help the smile that came over his face and leaned in to kiss Aaron.

“You have nothing to worry about.” The surety of that statement hit Spencer like a ton of bricks. He saw Aaron’s eyes darken and his pulse start to jump. He knew they couldn’t start anything, but after this first round, he definitely wanted to come back here and have Aaron do exactly what he wanted. “We ah, we should go.” He had to close his eyes a moment and think about something else or he’d be going to the meet and greet sporting a rather hard erection. The husky chuckle from Aaron did nothing to help. Spencer shook his head and moved away from Aaron and grabbed only his wallet, making sure his key card was in it, as well as his ID. He then grabbed the papers he would need to show at the sign in booths.

It didn’t take long for them to make it to the Borgata, it was within walking distance of Youshi. Spencer didn’t have enough time to look around, but he would make some time in the morning. He was too focused on the evening ahead.

Getting to the Borgata, signing in and moving towards the ballroom where the meet and greet was didn’t take long. Aaron was even allowed to go with him, but he’d have to move back to the sidelines once the elimination rounds began. This was one of those rare times that Spencer felt in his element. Poker, much like science, drew intelligent people. Anyone who wasn’t was quickly weeded out. Poker took skill, and to hone that skill a person needed to be smart. Here was a collection of people with minds, maybe not exactly like his, but close enough that conversations varied from science, to geek culture, literature and everything in between. He felt open and relaxed. He thought about his team for a moment and knew they wouldn’t be able to recognize him. The team had always put him in a Spencer shaped box and didn’t ever try to see past it. He enjoyed himself, enjoyed showing Aaron off. He flirted, laughed, and charmed more than just the women there. A few men had roved an appreciative eye over him, but Aaron’s glare had them smirking and backing off.

When the bell rang signaling the end of the meet and greet all of the guests of the players were shown where they could watch and wait. The players themselves were led to the first of what would be several rooms. The announcements went quickly, and each player was randomly assigned a table. As players dropped out, tables would be rearranged. Spencer loved this part, the unpredictability of the tables was always exciting for him.

Throughout the night he was always aware of Aaron at the edge, watching. The goal of the elimination was to get it down from the 1500 players, to the 100 players that would make-up the start of the 25,000 dollar round. Then 50 for the 100,000 dollar round and so on till the last ten players for the 1 million dollar buy in no holds Texas hold ‘em. Spencer had come in 9th the first time he played, and kept getting better each year. The year before he came in second, this year his goal was first. Though there was no way for him to take the money back with him, the satisfaction of playing and winning was first and foremost in his mind.

The rounds went quickly, people being eliminated fast and furious. Spencer never had issue in this round, he was confident he was going to end up in the top 100. After five hours of play, it was time for a three hour break. Spencer was glad, he was getting hungry. The snacks were good, but they only kept the hunger at bay.

Grabbing his case of chips he put it in the small locker that was provided for him and set his own code. Taking the key, he left the poker room to find Aaron.

“You were magnificent. You have an amazing poker face, and no tells.”

“Took me a long time to develop it, but when you interrogate people for a living you learn how to turn on and turn off facial expressions and other tells that an UnSub might use to their advantage.”

“There’s that dangerous mind again. Come, we have reservations. Jackson is waiting for us at TaiHai. The chef is preparing a tasting menu for us, you do like Sushi?”

“Love it. Though I have to tell you I can’t use chopsticks worth crap.” Aaron chuckled as he shook his head and walked back to the hotel. Spencer was nervous meeting Jackson. He was shocked when they got to the restaurant and Jackson pulled Aaron into a rather heated kiss. Jealousy flared hot and bright in him and it was a feeling he wasn’t used to. He tried to school his expression because he had a feeling that his counterpart knew the relationship between Aaron and Jackson a lot better than he did. He was going to have a very long talk with Aaron later.

Dinner went by quickly, conversation flowed and Spencer hated to admit he liked Jackson. The man was smart, probably smarter than Aaron, which he wasn’t going to make that known to Aaron. They had a lively discussion on string theory, as well as other physics theories. Spencer tried to engage Jackson’s sub, which was another blow to him. Adam Jackson was someone Spencer had tried to help in his home world. He had supplanted his desire to help Tobias onto Adam, but the man had retreated into his secondary personality, Amanda, so deeply that he didn’t think Adam would ever be seen again. It was a momentary shock, but this Adam was nothing like his. When they were done, the two couples went back to the penthouse so Spencer could get some rest.

As soon as they were in their room, Spencer pulled Aaron to him and kissed him.

“I think you promised me something earlier.”

Aaron smiled that feral smile that always made Spencer shiver.

“Undo your pants but don’t take them off.” Spencer’s breath hitched as he watched Aaron move to the nightstand and pull out a bottle of lube and a condom. He lifted a brow, they hadn’t used a condom once since they started having sex. He just watched as Aaron moved back to him, ripped open the package and rolled it onto his already hardening cock. “So you don’t get your clothes dirty.” Spencer swallowed hard as he was spun around and shoved down over the pillows that Aaron had put at the end of the bed. It was a tall-footed bed that was the perfect height for just this type of thing. He heard the clank of a belt being undone and a zipper being pulled down, his heart raced and he waited in anticipation for the breach.

Moaning into the pillow he felt Aaron pushing into him, as hands wrapped around his waist holding him still. His arms were above his head and he gripped the sheets as Aaron pulled out then slammed back in. Any thoughts he had in his head fled the moment Aaron started a hard fast pace. He knew he was going to have bruises on his hips, but it wasn’t unexpected, he almost welcomed it. They would give him something to think about during the rest of the tournament. Spencer tried to push back, but he was held down to where he couldn’t move. His cock was achingly hard as the friction on it was constant.

“Please, Sir,” Spencer couldn’t help begging. He just about came without permission when Aaron leaned over and hooked his fingers in his collar and pulled just enough to force his head up, but not enough to block his air.

“Look at you, begging to come. If you didn’t have to go back out there, I’d cage you, keep you on edge all night. Think about that, Kitten. Aching and hard, wanting me to let you come and you’d like that too, wouldn’t you.” Aaron had leaned over him and swiped his tongue up his spine.

“Yes,” Spencer whined as he again tried to push back against his lover. Aaron let his collar go and stood, fucking him harder. It was just on the edge of painful and with the command he had been begging for, Spencer was coming in the condom. Aaron wasn’t too far behind as he slammed in one more time and let go.

“I so want to plug you, but that would be too distracting.” Aaron pulled out of him and walked to the bathroom. Spencer heard the sink running and he was loath to move at the moment. Finally he succumbed and stood slipping off the condom before he met Aaron in the bathroom. His Dom was waiting to clean him up.

“That should tide you over,” Aaron said playfully as he kissed Spencer. Looking over at the clock Spencer saw that it was almost time to get back to the tournament. While righting his clothes he remembered that he was going to ask about Aaron’s relationship with Jackson. Putting it aside for now, he knew he couldn’t worry about it, not till much later when he could afford the distraction.

* * *

Spencer was smiling as he walked away from the final round, he was in not just the top 100, but he had placed thirtieth. The best he had ever done in the first rounds. Taking his chips he locked them up, then walked with Aaron back to their hotel.

“We don’t start till eleven tomorrow. That gives us enough time for breakfast and you can show me around the hotel. Tonight I just want to rest.”

Aaron kissed his temple as they walked, not really in a hurry. Spencer had noticed the two bodyguards at Aaron’s back and knew that at least one of his requests had been taken care of.

“I’ll have Michele have a good breakfast ready in the morning. I think, since we are on vacation, we can be a little indulgent. How about some crepes with berries and fresh cream?”

“That sounds good.” Spencer sighed as he laid his head on Aaron’s shoulder and wrapped an arm around his waist. He didn’t want to feel this happy, but he was. His thoughts wandered back to his earlier observation that he was suffering Stockholm syndrome. The more he tried to put it out of his mind the more persistent the thought became. Wrapping tighter around Aaron he did not want to think about that. If he did, if he gave into those thoughts, it would make him doubt his feelings, and that he didn’t want to do.

“Kitten, something wrong?”

He knew it was useless to keep it to himself, not when Aaron had ways to loosen his words.

“I was just thinking that I’ve fallen into a type of Stockholm syndrome, that my attachment to you is because I have no choice and I’ve adapted.”

“You don’t trust your feelings?” Aaron tightened his hand in Spencer’s shirt as he tensed next to him.

Spencer took a while to answer. They were almost to the front doors when he let go of Aaron and really looked at him. Cupping his cheek Spencer leaned in for a kiss and sighed as Aaron settled his hands on his hips and pulled him close.

“I know what I feel. I love you and I’m tired of fighting it. I know who and what you are, but underneath it, you’re Aaron. I never believed in fate, but now, I think I do. It’s like we were always meant to find each other. Stockholm, fate, addiction, I just don’t fucking care about defining it. I love you.”

Aaron’s eyes darkened as he pulled Spencer back to him and kissed him with a fierceness that surprised even him. When they broke apart, Aaron wrapped possessively around Spencer as they made their way back to the penthouse where Aaron was achingly gentle in making love to Spencer. When they were finished cleaning up, Spencer fell asleep and for the first time in weeks he didn’t worry about tomorrow.

Waking up to the smell of coffee and bacon was new to Spencer. He’d been alone for so long that only the coffee he set the night before was ever ready by the time he awoke. He knew he was getting spoiled and when he found his way home it was going to be another adjustment. Sighing happily, he grabbed his phone and turned off the alarm. He still had another forty-five minutes before he had to get out of bed. He looked over at the still sleeping form of Aaron and for the first time he took his time. The covers had slipped and Spencer could see Aaron’s back and the top part of his ass. Frowning, Spencer moved closer and gently ran his hands over the old fading scars. It wasn’t hard for him to figure out that they were scars from Aaron’s abusive father. It made him wonder if his Aaron had any.

Spencer pulled the covers back even more and straddled Aaron’s legs. He wanted to touch, he craved it almost as much as he craved being touched. His friends had it wrong about his handshakes. He wasn’t touch phobic, he just didn’t like shaking hands. The probability of getting a cold or the flu from a handshake was very high, and he just didn’t like taking the chance. He tried not to think about the team. It wasn’t just his Aaron he missed, but Derek, JJ, Dave, Henry, and Garcia as well. Though it did make him wonder how his counterpart was adjusting to Garcia. She could be a bit much if one wasn’t used to her. He chuckled softly and knew that the other Spencer probably was incredibly annoyed by her.

“What are you so amused by? And that feels amazing.” Aaron turned his head trying to look at Spencer.

“Just a lot of things. You don’t hide your scars.” Aaron carefully turned with Spencer still above him. He settled back down on Aaron’s legs while Aaron caressed his sides.

“I have no reason to hide them. I’m not ashamed of them. My father was a bastard, that’s on him, not me.”

Spencer leaned down and kissed him, then started to moved down till his face was buried against Aaron’s balls. He licked and sucked one, then the other. When a hand fisted in his hair, but just held him there he smiled as he took Aaron’s soft cock in his mouth. It didn’t take much to get the man hard. He moaned at the full feeling in his mouth. Spencer liked sucking cock. It was something he had never shared with anyone. But, the few encounters he’d had over the years made him realize that he loved having a cock in his mouth. The fact that it was Aaron, made it even better.

Spencer sucked the cock down till the head hit the back of his throat, then he relaxed and took Aaron a little further. He smiled as he heard the sharp intake of breath and knew just when Aaron was going to come. He pulled back just enough for him not to choke as he swallowed Aaron’s release.

Sitting up, Aaron followed and kissed him, chasing the taste of himself in Spencer’s mouth.

“God I love it when you wake me up like that. You’re mouth is wicked. If you aren’t careful I’ll have you on your knees sucking me every chance I get.” Spencer shivered at the thought.

“I need a shower. Then coffee.”

“Of course. Go start it, I’ll join you in a minute.”

Spencer walked into the spacious bathroom and gaped at the shower. There were seven different shower heads with room for more than two people. Turning it on and getting the temperature just right, Spencer stepped inside and almost moaned at the sheer opulence of having seven shower heads pulsing water all over his body. Aaron joined him a few moments later. They took their time cleaning each other, something else that he had gotten used to.

By the time they were finished and stepping out of the bedroom breakfast was waiting for them.

Jackson and Adam came out a few moments later and if the intake of breath by the tech guru was any indication, Spencer knew he had chosen well in what he was wearing.

“You keep letting him dress like that Aaron, people are definitely going to turn heads.”

The black almost painted on jeans fit Spencer perfectly. They accentuated his ass and his thin frame in a very pleasing way. The fitted blood red button up brought out his pale skin and the gray vest showed off a defined chest and the shape of his waist. He enjoyed the way he had been dressing since being around this Aaron and knew he would have to make some major changes when he got back to his own world.

“As long as he knows who he belongs to, there will be no issues, isn’t that right Kitten.”

“Only you, Sir.” Spencer flashed his boyish smile and he noted the flash of lust he saw in Jackson’s eyes.

They made quick work of the crepes with a side of bacon, orange juice, and coffee. Spencer wanted to explore. Aaron was only too happy to indulge him before the start of the game.

Taking their time like they had the evening before, Spencer had fun window shopping. Not much caught his eye till he was standing in front of a toy shop and looking at a kids play bed in the form of Snorlax from Pokemon. His heart constricted in his chest as he thought of the little boy he had left behind. Jack loved Pokemon and it would have been a wonderful present. He didn’t even know a tear leaked out till he felt a hand brushing it aside.

“Tell me, Kitten.”

Spencer swallowed and cleared his throat, “If I was home, I would probably have bought this for Jack.” He laid a hand on the glass and tried to control his breathing. “He loves Pokemon. And you were right, all those weeks ago. Aaron wasn’t letting me get to know Jack. I hated you for making me see that. They tease me, you know.”

Aaron cocked his head to the side as he turned Spencer to look at him.

“About what Kitten?” Aaron brushed the tears that fell from Spencer’s eyes.

“They called it The Reid Effect. Kids and dogs, they didn’t like me. But that’s just not true, after Henry, I learned to trust myself with kids. I took psychology classes to help me understand and when we have to deal with children, JJ, she always trusts me with them.”

“Sounds like your team has some growing up to do. If they can’t see the changes, that’s on them. I see you with Jack and anyone who sees you together would be stupid to think you don’t like kids. And the way you are with his friends, they all adore you. If you do get back there, you need to take a stand for yourself Spencer. Make them see how it hurts you.”

“I know you’re right.” It didn’t lessen the pain of realization, but it gave him something to really think about.

“And you can always buy it for Jack. He may be ten, but he isn’t too old to still have fun.”

“You think so?” Spencer lit up at the idea and Aaron’s heart flipped at the utter joy on the younger man’s face.

“I know so.” Spencer flung himself into Aaron’s arms and let himself be wrapped up. A few minutes later one Snorlax kid’s beanie bed was being packaged up to be delivered to their hotel room.

The thought of the present got Spencer through the second part of the tournament as he made the cut to the next stage. It was late by the time they made it back to the hotel and when they walked in Spencer stopped cold in his tracks. There on the couch was Jackson naked with his sub straddled on his lap.

“You’re back. Didn’t expect you yet.” Jackson couldn’t quite keep the smirk off his face as Aaron chuckled and led Spencer to their room.

“Does he do that all the time?”

Aaron couldn’t help the laugh at the indignant look on Spencer’s face.

“Quite. I guess I should have explained more about our relationship. Sometimes I forget how much you still don’t know. We met in college like I told you, and we were lovers for many years. The unfortunate thing for us is that we are both Dominants and a long term relationship wouldn’t have worked out, not unless we found a sub to share, but we never could.”

“Does your Spencer know you’re still in love with him?” This was one time that being a profiler made Spencer smirk, and he enjoyed the shocked look on Aaron’s face.

“I should have known you would pick up on it. That profiler in you?”

“It was evident at TaiHai. The way you interact with each other is more than just best friends.”

“Yes, Spencer knows. And yes, on occasion we have sex. I told him from the beginning of our relationship and for some reason it’s never bothered him. He would tell me if it did, especially since he likes to watch.”

Spencer felt like he should be shocked by that, but he wasn’t. He knew he was adjusting to this world and he felt like nothing much could shock him anymore.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer shouldered his bag and waited as the turnstile slowly rotated the bags. Aaron was behind him talking to the leader of the team that was on point while the A team was on leave. A message had been waiting for him on his phone when they had landed. He had told Aaron that he didn't mind a few minute conversation but that they were on vacation, together. If he wanted to work he could go home. Aaron had looked at him shocked but promised to get off the phone as soon as possible.

Aaron moved up behind him and grabbed his two bags before following Spencer out to the car that was waiting for them. The older man was still on the phone and Spencer gave him until the car started to move to finish up. He was only half listening to the conversation on the other end but it seemed that the other Unit Chief was very upset about everything and was acting like a child. As soon as the car pulled away from the curb, Spencer turned to fully listen to the conversation. As soon as he heard Strauss's name, he grabbed the phone and hung it up. Aaron looked at him like he had grown a second head. They had a night before the tournament started and Spencer wanted to make the most of it, whether he was alone or with Aaron. Tomorrow would be for getting into the right mindset for the tournament.

"I gave you a warning so make the choice before we get to the hotel. I do not let work intrude on my vacations." Spencer turned to look out the tinted window and ignored the man beside him. Aaron tried to engage him in conversation twice before he figured out that Spencer was truly going to ignore him. The car pulled into the hotel/casino with little fanfare and the bellhop was right there to take their things up to their suite. Spencer left Aaron's phone on the seat of the car and carried his messenger bag with him to check in. When he talked to the concierge, Spencer found that his room has been upgraded. He assumed that it was the first year that he had brought someone with him and he was very surprised that the other Spencer even had the balls to buy a ticket for Aaron.

The bellhop escorted them to their suite and Spencer generously tipped him. The man payed them no attention. He was either totally straight or just really good at his job. Being eyed up and down was part of his life in his world. Aaron garnered just as much attention. Looking was fine, touching was not.

Spencer watched as Aaron looked around the suite. His eyes were taking in everything. He knew that Aaron had some money, the suits and his few things of extravagance said that but the way he was looking around said that he didn't indulge in nice places to stay when he traveled for pleasure. The front room was decadent, even for Spencer. Every piece of furniture looked sinfully soft and there were a few he'd like to try out for sex. The bedroom door was shut but the secondary bathroom door was not. Spencer settled in at the bar the separated the small kitchen area from the rest of the suite. He was on the stool leaning back into the counter.

Aaron finished his looking around the main room and moved to the second bathroom. He came out and moved to the bedroom. Spencer stayed where he was. Aaron was silent though his steps softly echoed in the room. The sound of the bathroom door opening had Spencer smirking. He was going to have to make sure that Aaron enjoyed himself and relaxed.

"You stay in places like this when you do these?" Aaron asked as he exited the bedroom.

"This is a little more extravagant than normal. I was upgraded at no cost." Spencer crooked his finger and Aaron stepped up to him, easily sliding between his legs. He shivered when the older man boxed him in with his hands. "We have tonight to get settled in. We can stay in or take a meal out. There are several in house restaurants."

"That tub looked good," Aaron said before he leaned in for a kiss. "Big enough for two." Aaron pulled one hand from the counter and laid it on his thigh, sliding it up. When the hand ghosted over his groin, he subtly thrust up into it. "I want you naked."

"Yes." Spencer didn't move at all, he waited to see what Aaron wanted. Where he wanted him.

"You haven't looked at the bed."

"Seen one, seen them all," Spencer said off-handedly. Aaron linked their hands but instead of pulling him up, he spread his arms, laying them on the counter and softly pinning them there. He took Spencer's mouth in a toe curling kiss. There was no way that he could miss Aaron growing hard as they kissed, so he allowed himself to harden as well. Aaron didn't seem to want to continue beyond that.

"Will the couch feel as soft as it looks?" Aaron asked when he finally took a break to breathe.

"Even better." Spencer smirked as Aaron pulled back while keeping his hands with him. He wasn't shocked when he was pulled over to the couch and all but shoved down onto it. When Aaron waved a hand he laid down as he kicked off his shoes. Aaron took his off before he settled down into the crook of Spencer's legs. He felt the minute shivers that wracked Aaron's body and he wondered exactly how horrible of a woman his ex-wife had been. Being in love meant doing stupid things like making out on a couch for no reason other than to do it. It was slipping away for a quickie at lunch. Even though he and Aaron had sex in the office, being a partner had it's perks. There were days that slipping away to a hotel was thrilling. The one time that a nosy reporter had caught them and reported on it, Aaron had simply smirked and expressed that he was so in love with Spencer that he found he couldn’t wait until he got home to have him. The reporter had been so upset with his indifferent response, that even if they had been caught again it never made the news.

Aaron didn't go right for his mouth. Instead, he unbuttoned Spencer's shirt slowly. When it was all the way open he finally leaned down to kiss him. As soon as his tongue traced Spencer's lips, he opened his mouth. Spencer played his hands on Aaron's stomach, lifting up the shirt he was wearing to touch skin. It was nice to just relax and only worry about pleasure and not about saying the wrong thing or work. He hoped that when he got back to his world, he'd be able to nudge the right people towards the BAU, and maybe even get it to the quality it was in this world.

"I could get addicted to you," Aaron said.

It was that instant that Spencer realized exactly how this Aaron operated. He didn't want to ruin the night so he pushed it aside, making sure to remember to go back to it later. Aaron's mouth was pressed against his again and Spencer kissed back with as much fervor as he could muster to ignite Aaron's passion. But Aaron, standing his ground, wasn't allowing Spencer to rush him.

Spencer relaxed down into the couch and allowed his body to melt under the attention offered by Aaron's hands. His arousal was still evident but he wasn't as eager to come. He'd forgotten what a hard earned orgasm felt like. Aaron's hands worked his pants open and he moaned loudly into his mouth as a hand wrapped around his cock.

Aaron worked him right to the edge of orgasm then released him. Spencer was used to edging. His Aaron, when playful, would do it to him for hours but he was shocked to have this one do it to him. He didn't grip the base of his cock but the loss of sensation was good enough to cut the rush. Aaron chuckled into his mouth as he held his body up and away just far enough that Spencer couldn't thrust up into him. Once more, Aaron did it before he sat up on his knees, staring down at Spencer.

"Bed?" Aaron asked.

Spencer nodded and sat up when Aaron slide farther back and off him. The man didn't get up off the couch though. He waited until Spencer was on two feet and slid into the space behind him, holding him still by his hips. His hand moved up his chest, barely brushing his skin.

"Strip for me." Aaron's voice was low in his ear. Spencer shivered and stepped away when he was released. He could feel the older man's eyes on him as he stepped far away enough that Aaron could take in his full form. He left his shirt on as he took another step towards the bedroom, unbuckling the belt that he was wearing. He slowly slipped it out of the loops on his pants and smiled as he did. He dropped it to the floor and rotated his hips as he worked the button free on his pants.

The sharp intake of breath told Spencer that Aaron was more than happy with what he was doing. He slowly unzipped the zipper as he felt Aaron step up behind him. Aaron himself had admitted that outside of Haley he had no real relationships so this was probably as playful as Aaron had ever seen a lover. From what he knew of Haley from his world and what he had learned from this Spencer's own observations of her that he had relayed to his mother, there was no way she would ever have done something like this. His shirt was just long enough to cover most of his ass so as soon as he had the zipper worked all the way down, his pants fell and he smoothly stepped out of them moving towards the bedroom, not stopping until he was fully inside.

When Aaron joined him at the doorway, Spencer bent down and removed his socks. Aaron's hands grabbed his ass cheeks as he stood up, firmly gripping them while avoiding enough pressure to cause bruising.

"You are a tease."

"You told me to strip. You didn't say how. If you want me to go quicker, just speak up."

"I want you to turn around and show me what you are doing from the front." Aaron released his flesh and Spencer turned around for him. He only wore his shirt. Aaron's hands went right for his hips, holding him. "Take it off."

Spencer kept his eyes on Aaron's face as he lifted his arms up and slipped the cloth off his shoulder. He let the shirt drop down with gravity to settle in Aaron's hands. Spencer allowed himself to be pushed back towards the bed and dropped onto it as his legs grazed the edge. Aaron pulled Spencer’s shirt away before he started to strip himself. Spencer reached over and opened the drawer. He smiled at the very well stocked drawer. Exactly as he had asked for it to be. He broke the plastic seal on the lube. He twisted off the cap and pulled that seal off as well. Aaron had paused in his own clothes removal to watch.

"You had them stock lube?" Aaron looked exceedingly shocked.

"And condoms. Just in case we had a lazy fuck and didn't want to clean up afterwards."

"I..." Aaron just stared at the bottle as Spencer sat back up on the bed. His hands were holding onto his pants where he had just unbuttoned them. "That is..."

"I know that the maids are going to know that we fuck. We are having them change the sheets every morning while we are out to breakfast. I didn’t want airport security to get all argumentative and pull it out to look, gawking and trying to make me feel ashamed because I let men fuck me. Therefore I will not travel with lube." Spencer watched Aaron's eyes darken. He was quite happy that this Aaron liked it when he showed his own dominant side. Spencer handed over the lube and laid back. He lifted his legs up and braced his heels on the edge of the bed, displaying himself totally for Aaron.

Aaron didn't say a thing as he stripped out of his clothes with zero finesse. He lubed up his cock as he stepped up to Spencer. A single finger pushed inside of him, lubing him up before it pulled out. Aaron wiped his hand on the leg of his underwear before dropping them to the floor. He grabbed Spencer's thighs and pulled him just a little off the bed, his cock going right for his hole. Aaron pushed into him slowly, stopping halfway into him before pulling him off the bed just a little more. The only thing keeping him on the bed was Aaron holding him up. He wasn't even able to wrap his legs around him. Aaron gripped him just above his hips and held him there as he plowed into him over and over. Spencer could only grab onto the bed to hold on.

"You...fuck." Aaron thrust into him one last, hard time and stilled. He didn't reach up and grab Spencer's cock. Instead, he pulled carefully from him and dropped to his knees. Aaron took him into his mouth in one go. Spencer wrapped his legs around his neck and was rewarded with a finger pressing right back behind his balls. Farther back it went until two pressed into him. He came with a near scream and Aaron milked him for every drop that he had. The fingers stayed inside him as Aaron kissed up his thigh and stomach before kissing him on the mouth. Spencer was pressed down into the bed. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Spencer cupped the sides of his face and pulled him back in for a quick, sweet kiss. "But at the moment, I would love to clean up a bit more."

"Hmm," Aaron hummed as he kissed him again.When he finished, he rose up, pulling Spencer with him. They made their way to the master bathroom and Spencer found that it was impeccable. There was a shower stall they could use to wash off quickly before getting into the tub. It wasn't like the suite at Youshi but it was nice. He hadn't quite adjusted to the hotel rooms they stayed in while on cases. Thankfully, the FBI attempted to maintain their image and the team routinely stayed in the nice hotels unless there was nothing else. The shower was large enough that they both showered quickly and while Aaron was looking at the bathroom in closer detail, Spencer prepared the tub. It was a jacuzzi tub so after Aaron settled into it, he relaxed back, turning on the soft jets. They were on opposite sides but Spencer knew they wouldn't stay that way for long. Aaron was relaxed back, a picture of serenity. Spencer extended his foot out and slid a little lower in the tub. He rested it on Aaron's thigh for a second before he used his toes to kind of rub on his stomach. Aaron's eyes cracked opened and watched him.

Spencer was well read. If there was anything he wanted to know, his Aaron made sure he did. While in Japan, he'd learned some of the art of pleasure and used to settle his Aaron when their normal methods weren’t working. He watched as Aaron relaxed into the water. The stress the man was under was intense. He'd not had to deal with Strauss much but he wasn't fond of her. He could tell that she was afraid of what would happen if Aaron ever hinted at wanting a desk job. Spencer wanted to see Aaron relaxed and destressed so that he knew what he still had to work with.

"Come here," Aaron said as he grabbed Spencer's foot and pulled him in. Spencer turned and scooted into Aaron's arms. "This is nice. Can we just stay here, like this for a while?"

"Sure. Until my fingers become macerated."

Aaron chuckled into the wet hair on his head.

"How does steak sound for dinner? I really like the Bobby Flay Steak they have here. They have a lobster bar that I have been looking forward to."

"While we are here, I'm at your mercy."

* * *

Spencer was sitting at the bar during the break between sets. They were down to the twenty five thousand dollar buy in. Aaron had watched the first rounds like a hawk but this round...he wasn't there. He'd escorted Spencer to the playing area and then disappeared.

"You are alone tonight," a voice said behind him. Spencer held in the gasp that wanted to escape. He knew that voice. He knew it and it was a part of home that he didn't think he'd see. He'd looked him up but he wasn't like he was back home so he didn't expect to see him here. "Do you want company?" the man said.

"As long as it's just conversation, Mr. Grimes. I'm quite happy with my man." Spencer didn't turn at all but he wasn't surprised that Jackson didn’t seem shocked that he knew his name.

"Yes, he leaves you alone..." Jackson moved from behind him to lean on the bar beside him, looking him up and down. "I wouldn't leave you alone unless I had to."

"This isn't his world." Spencer was polite and turned to face him. He took a drink of his Thin Man. He'd told the bartender to give him anything as long as it was virgin and he'd been a audacious little man and served him that. It was a mixture of non-alcoholic beer and seltzer with a twist of lime.

"No, I would bet that he's more comfortable in a courtroom than a poker room." Jackson had his "I've got a secret" smirk on. Spencer just raised an eyebrow at him. "I know exactly who you are, Doctor Reid. I came here tonight to speak to you actually. When I saw your list on the name of players, I made sure to clear my calendar for the entirety of the tournament."

"Oh, really?" Spencer took another sip of his drink, swallowing in a way to make sure what his adam's apple bobbed just right. Jackson's eyes dilated just enough to show interest.

"I want to borrow your brain. And I'm willing to pay handsomely for it. We don't have enough time to discuss it tonight but I have reservations at Gordon Ramsay's for tomorrow. Say you'll join me?" Jackson smiled at him and it was the same one that he always wore when he wanted something and wasn't above begging to get it. "Bring Agent Hotchner with you. I promise not to hit on your boss."

"I'm not sure what he'd do if someone like you hit on him. I might pay for dinner to see you do it." Spencer eyed the clock and saw it was time to head back to the tables for the night. "As long as you make me an offer I can't refuse for my brain, I'll come to dinner."

"You drive a hard bargain but yes. I promise you won't be able to refuse." Jackson nodded at Spencer before he moved away. Spencer kept his emotions off his face, he wasn't going to let anyone see the pain he was feeling. Thankfully, he knew everything that this Spencer did in the science circles. He'd read every file on the computer at the apartment. He knew how much he was courted for his time on projects but his actual work kept him from taking on many. One with Jackson though would benefit him greatly as he was a man who didn't believe in rushing results. He'd be paid fair for his time and Jackson would probably make him upgrade his home computer. Spencer missed his own tech from home.

Spencer moved back to the tables and smiled at who he was playing against. At least one was a homophobe and Spencer was going to enjoy taking all of his money. Every time that they took a small break between rounds to have servers bring drinks, Spencer looked for Aaron but he wasn't there. He pushed that from his mind and focused on the game.

By the time that the game was over for the night, Spencer was sitting right where he wanted to be. He stored his ships and made his way up to the suite. He slid the card in the lock and waited for the flash of green. He opened the door and was a little shocked to see Aaron. He was sitting in the armchair. Only the light from the kitchen was on and the older man was cast in a lot of shadows. He strode over to him and saw the glass of something dark in his hand. He lifted it from lax hand took a sip. At least this Aaron had taken to one thing. Expensive bourbon. He looked for the bottle and found it on the counter.

Spencer turned to leave but a hand grabbed him and pulled him down into Aaron's lap. He tried to get up but Aaron had a good hold around his waist. He allowed his face to be pulled into a kiss. He could tell by the taste of Aaron's mouth that he'd been drinking for a while.

"What's going through that head of yours?" Spencer asked softly.

"I don't...I don't know this world."

"And I don't know the world of inherited money and you do. This is my secondary world. My primary is the BAU and my life with you."

"But you..."

"You didn't even stay and try to learn, you ran up here to the bottle and drowned your sorrows."

"I'm sorry." Aaron leaned up and kissed him again, his free hand moving to rub at Spencer's cock. Spencer freed himself fast from Aaron's hold, putting a little pressure on his elbow joint to do it.

"I don't do sex while intoxicated." Spencer moved to the kitchen and found a few bottles of water. "Go shower. You stink of sweat and alcohol or you can sleep on the couch. It's your choice." Spencer handed the drunk man a bottle of water and he frowned but drank it before he made his way to the bedroom and then the bathroom. Spencer turned the bed sheets down and grabbed another few bottles of water. He smelled of alcohol and after stripping made use of the secondary bathroom. He was done long before Aaron and was already in bed when he came out. The man looked a little better and drank two more bottles of water with no complaint before he laid down.

"I am truly sorry, Spencer. I mean it. I just...I got lost and I started to pity myself. You are right. I'll be there to watch you tomorrow." Aaron was on his back looking up at the ceiling. Spencer rolled onto his side after turning off the lights in the room. The moon and the city light shone in through the window lightly illuminating Aaron's face. "I remember watching you play when we attempted to apprehend Curtis Banks, but it wasn't like this. You turn into someone different when you are at the table. You have a damned good poker face and no tells that I can detect."

"Why would I have obvious tells? I can't let an UnSub see a tell,or a lawyer in court. I just had to get my poker face I learned at poker into a work setting, it's why I was bad at in the beginning." Spencer laid his hand on Aaron's chest, playing with the slight hair that was there. He didn't shave but unlike his arms, Aaron had only fine hairs on his chest. For the sake of keeping to his own word, Spencer didn't let his hand go past his rib case.

"I know and you have excelled at it but...you say you do your best work under intense terror and that's not what you have here. I just...I let myself forget reality for a while."

"At the dinner break tomorrow, we have a meal planned with Jackson Grimes." Spencer wasn't even sure if the older man would remember this in the morning so he might have to tell him again but he didn't want to blindside him with it if he didn't have to.

"Of Grimes Tech? Why?"

"He didn't say other than he wants my brain. I've not turned away a letter by him so whatever it is, it's recent and he wants to do it in person."

Aaron was having trouble keeping his eyes open so Spencer laid his head on his shoulder and breathed softly and evenly. After ten minutes, Aaron gave into the lull of sleep and alcohol. Spencer laid there, listening to his breathing. Even at a few months, they were still way too new to even think about having sex while one of them was drunk. Consent before sex was essential for Spencer. Drunk Aaron didn't scare him either. He knew how to protect himself if Aaron had gotten handsy or even violent if Spencer needed to stop him. Instead, Aaron had given in. He at least has some rational thought. Just as Spencer was surrendering to sleep, Aaron rolled to his side. Spencer rolled to his side and placed his back to Aaron's chest and the man wrapped his arm around him.

Spencer was skilled at adaptation. As long as Aaron held him, he slept fine without his cuffs, but when alone, he wore them and the collar. He had the items with him, just in case. One of Aaron's hands moved slowly from his elbow down to his wrist, encasing the delicate bone with his fingers, gripping just tight enough for Spencer to know he was there. He settled down and fell asleep that way.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

The days were quickly going by and Spencer found himself one of the last 10 players in the final round. It was 2 a.m. and everyone agreed to pick-up the next afternoon. Spencer had felt confident thus far. He had already profiled all the players at the table. He guessed each of their tells and filed them away. He knew his strategy for tomorrow, especially since three of the players he recognized from previous years. He wasn’t surprised to find out they were essentially the same group as they were in his world. This would be a huge advantage to him since _they_ didn’t know _him_. He knew he was going to be underestimated, and this would be where that submissive side he was growing to understand would be a huge advantage. He smiled inwardly, but outwardly showed no emotion at all.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, please place your chips in your lockers and we will resume at 1p.m. tomorrow. And good luck.” The tournament facilitator announced and the players all proceeded to do as requested.

Spencer was glad for the long break as it would help reset his brain. He just hoped he could get some sleep. Aaron hadn’t played with him much on the trip, which he was partially glad for. If he went too far into subspace he knew he’d be useless at poker. He was happy to see Aaron in the audience and went right over and kissed him. No one had dared to even comment on the relationship during the last few days. Everyone there knew who they were but no one dared to comment. It was freeing in a way. He could be open about his sexuality and his affection with no one criticizing or bullying him. He was finding that this vacation was an eye opener in more than one way.

“I’m sure you want to get some sleep. This was the longest you’ve had to play.”

“Aaron?”

“Yes, kitten?”

“We haven’t done, well, you know.” Spencer still blushed at some of the things they did, he was slowly growing comfortable with it.

“That’s because your focus should be the game. But, I very much have plans for you at the end of the tournament. The club that Jackson and I own is going to be having a private exhibition and we will be attending.”

“Oh.” Spencer blushed even more. He had never been to any kind of exhibition. The closest was the time when he watched Derek with Charlie. It had turned him on way more than he had been comfortable with at the time.

Aaron chuckled as he smiled at Spencer. The previous four days they had only had minimal interruptions from the paparazzi, but Spencer making it to the top ten in this amateur tournament hit the news with a bang. The rush of reporters and photographers when they left the Borgata surprised him, especially considering the time of night. He was fairly used to it with his job and being by this world’s Aaron’s side. He didn’t flinch and answered all their question with that boyish charm he had become known for. Finally, after Aaron signalled the body guards, they made a path through the milling nosy reporters and were on their way to the hotel. No one dared to try and follow them.

“You handle them well. I have to say I was surprised by that at our first press conference.”

Spencer shrugged a shoulder, “Comes with the job. We all have a few training classes in handling the press, through our liaison, JJ, handles them for the most part.”

“It doesn’t negate the fact that you are very good with them. Almost better than my Pet.” Spencer tried not to feel a swell of jealousy, but he did. He felt jealous of basically himself. It was odd and he didn’t quite know what to make of it.

He also didn’t always know what to make of the public displays of affection. He was fairly certain that if he ever got home that his Aaron might not enjoy it. Rubbing his eyes and face, he knew he was tired and the disconnected rambling thoughts in his head didn’t help. He just wanted to take a shower and go to bed.

When they got back to the hotel Spencer was shocked when he walked in their room and saw a very naked Jackson Grimes had crawled into their bed. Aaron chuckled and shook his head.

“What is he doing?” Spencer whispered to his lover.

“Jackson, for all his Dominant self, wants, believe it or not, to cuddle.”

“And he can’t do that in his own bed with his own sub?” Spencer crossed his arms and glared at the man in their bed. There was that jealous streak again and Spencer didn’t know what to do with it.

“No.” Aaron turned and eyed Spencer who just quirked a brow and pouted. “I’ll tell you his story later. There’s more to this, something had to have happened and he’s feeling insecure. I told you, we have a very strong bond and I’m one of very few people he truly trusts. If you feel you can’t handle this..” Spencer held up a hand to stop Aaron.

“It isn’t my place to question, Sir. I’m just tired and want to go to sleep.” Spencer slipped into the bathroom and changed out of his clothes. He knew his clothing selection for the tournament had been ideal when more than one player had gotten distracted by his appearance. He also used false tells. and inwardly laughed at how easy it was to fool some of the players. One of the men in the final ten had been trying to flirt with him when they had found themselves at the same table. He filed that away and knew he could use it in the final round. Spencer knew he should take a shower, but he was just too tired. He slipped out of his clothes and finished up in the bathroom quickly. Padding back out to the room he saw Aaron wrapped around Jackson, soothing him. He heard quiet sobs and wondered what had happened. Not wanting to intrude on an obviously personal moment, Spencer put it all out of his mind and slipped into bed and tried to go to sleep.

The next morning was a little tense with Spencer waking to Aaron wrapped around him, and Jackson gone. Turning he looked at Aaron and wondered if he was going to explain the previous evening.

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

“What happened, Aaron?”

“Someone went after a good friend, a close friend. He’s in the hospital, and they aren’t sure if he’s going to make it.”

“I’m sorry. Please tell me it wasn’t Foyet.”

“I can’t. It’s very possible, or at least one of his people. They have gone too far this time. Victor is one of the best men I know. Why he’s friends with me, I don’t know.” Aaron set his lips in a hard line and Spencer didn’t know what to do. “I have to be careful, but I want this man dead Spencer. I’m no longer playing nice.”

“Nice? You’ve played nice?”

“I’ve been holding back, but I can’t any longer. George Foyet is going down and I don’t mean killing him. That’s too kind. I want to ruin the bastard. I want to crawl into every part of his life and take it apart inch by fucking inch.” Aaron was shaking with rage. Spencer crawled up to straddle him. Aaron’s hands wrapped around Spencer’s hips and held him. “Penelope is the perfect person to do it. She’ll be ruthless.”

“Who’s Victor?” Spencer rubbed circles around Aaron’s hip where he was holding on.

“Victor Marks. Art dealer and interior designer. We met when Spencer came to work with me. He helped design the space and even found the desk that you’re currently using. We became friends as he helped pick out art for our home over the years. Like I said, he’s a good man. One of the best men I’ve ever known. He’s completely innocent when it comes to my life. He doesn’t know anything about my darker dealings.”

Spencer didn’t know what to think as he listened intently. He was upset that someone Aaron was close to was hurt. He leaned down and kissed Aaron, trying to comfort him.

“We’ll figure this out Aaron. Do you need to go back home?”

“No. I want to be here. We can deal with Foyet later. If I hear any different from the hospital then plans may change.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what, Kitten?” Aaron was softly kneading Spencer’s back.

“I’m sorry that your Foyet isn’t really all that different from mine. His narcissism is just as strong. He’ll hurt who he wants, when he wants, but he has a legal system behind him instead of him being out there untethered. It’s almost more frightening.”

“Don’t let him ruin your time here, Kitten. You’re having fun, and I like seeing how ruthless you are at those tables. We should do this again.” Spencer furrowed his brow, and tried not to react to those words. Did Aaron believe that this was permanent? Did he think that the experiment couldn’t be repeated? What would happen if he and Charlie couldn’t figure it out and he was stuck here permanently? Closing his eyes he gathered his thoughts. He didn’t need any negativity today. It was too important of a day. He was roused out of his contemplation when a hand wrapped around his soft cock. Spencer sucked in a breath as his eyes flew open and he looked down at Aaron.

“Mmmm, what to do with you.” Spencer sucked in a breath as the hand didn’t stop and he was coaxed fully erect. Aaron’s sly smile had him shivering in anticipation. He was flipped down on his back as Aaron threw the pillows off the bed. Spencer wasn’t sure what was about to happen until a moment later when Aaron was practically sitting on his face. He reached up to grab Aaron’s hips, but his hands were pushed down on the bed. “Stay. Open your mouth and take my cock.” Spencer’s heart sped up as he did as he was told. Aaron slowly fed him his cock, and he relaxed his throat so he could take as much in as possible. Spencer gripped the sheets under him as he closed his eyes getting lost in giving himself to Aaron.

Spencer moaned around the cock in his mouth as his lover laid down on top of him, taking the head of his cock in his mouth. Spencer wasn’t sure how long he could last like this. He had never sixty-nined anyone before, and he found it was one major fucking turn on. He was so hard and aching that he wanted to beg, but he couldn’t. Aaron’s knees were around Spencer’s head, pinning him to the bed. The cock in his mouth began to piston in and out and Spencer was getting lost in the submission of it. When he felt Aaron take all of him, he almost lost it, almost cumming without Aaron’s approval.

Humming around the cock in his mouth, Spencer felt himself float and it wasn’t much longer before he felt Aaron’s release spilling down his throat. He swallowed everything, and almost screamed as he was being restrained while Aaron kept going.

“Come for me, Kitten.” Aaron growled before taking Spencer’s cock in his mouth once more. The need to obey welled up inside him as he felt that familiar pull and he cried out as he came in Aaron’s mouth. Finally, Aaron pulled off and turning around, pressing him into the mattress, kissing him hard, letting him taste himself in Aaron’s mouth.

“God, you’re mouth, I could fuck it all day,” Aaron breathed into his mouth as he continued kissing him. “I know you have some time, what do you want to do?”

“An early lunch?” Spencer was floating on a high and it felt so damn good. He knew the more he gave into this side of him the harder it would be to let it go. He didn’t think his Aaron would be open to anything close to what this Aaron and him did. It saddened him that he knew he’d have to find an outlet for the needs that had awakened in him.

“Sounds good. Go take a shower and get ready. Do you want us to be alone, or do you mind if Jackson and Adam join us?” Spencer was wondering why Aaron was asking him. The frown on his face must have given him away because Aaron began chuckling. “I do value your space and your time Spencer. I won’t push people on you, nor would I ever push them on my Pet. If you don’t want them to come, just say no. I won’t be offended, and neither will Jackson.”

“No, I…” Spencer sighed as he slid off Aaron’s lap. Seeing Adam had been a huge shock that he had put to the back of his mind. Wiping his face he turned to Aaron. “There’s an Adam Jackson in my world. But, like most everyone I’ve met, he’s very different.” Spencer stood and grabbed his robe that was draped over the reading chair in the corner. He paced the room as he told the story of the man from his world, a delusional serial killer and rapist who, living with dissociative identity disorder, was lost to his dangerous alternative identity, Amanda.

“And you keep trying to bring Adam back?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Why hurt yourself like that?”

“Because I couldn’t save Tobias.” Spencer shocked himself as he stood stock-still. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he thought of the two very different people who suffered from the same disorder.

Aaron stood and gripped his shoulders forcing him to look in his eyes.

“Spencer, what happened to you with Tobias wasn’t your fault. You did what you needed to survive. Don’t feel ashamed of that.”

“I thought I had him, I thought I could help him, but it was too late.”

“And you think by saving Adam, you’d somehow save Tobias?” Aaron cupped his cheek and kissed him. “That will not happen Spencer. You cannot be responsible for another’s mental delusions. Amanda sounds like too dominant to let go, you have to consider the possibility that Adam is gone.”

Spencer shut his eyes and calmed his breathing. He knew this, and Derek even tried to talk him out of his continued sessions with Amanda, but hearing from this Aaron, in this world brought it into stark reality.

“You’re right. I do need to move on.” Spencer pulled out of Aaron’s arms and with a heavy heart went to go take his shower to get ready for the day. His high had quickly dissipated, but he wasn’t going to agonize about it, he had bigger things to worry about.

* * *

Spencer was eyeing his opponent. He had played him before, in his home world, and he silently celebrated when he realized that all of his tells were the same Spencer had already taken off his jacket, a fitted piece that had a subtle paisley pattern embossed in the fabric. It was a deep charcoal grey and showed off his slim body to its best advantage. He also knew the other player was a terrible flirt, and Spencer was using that to his advantage.

“So, mon amie, is it true ‘dat your amour is as good as he looks?” The player was trying to throw him and he knew it. The dealer revealed the river and Spencer remained emotionless. He knew he was going to take it, he felt it down to his very core. Spencer unbuttoned his vest and the first three buttons of his shirt, revealing just enough skin and the collar around his throat. The other man’s dark eyes dilated and still Spencer didn’t react.

“I wouldn’t try it if I were you. Aaron is mine and I’d do anything for him.”

“Anyt’in’ cher?”

“Anything.” Spencer looked right at the other man, “Call.”

“I tink’ y’r bluffing cher.”

“Then you won’t mind putting down.”

“All in.” The Cajun glared at Spencer who deliberately took his time before pushing in his pot. The cards were laid down revealing a full house, eights and threes one of each in his hand.

“Mr. Chance has a full house, eights over threes.”

Spencer’s expression turned sharklike as he slowly revealed his cards. Two nines, which played off the nines in the river.

“And Dr. Reid has four of a kind. And he is the winner.”

The Cajun smirked and stood, holding his hand out for Spencer who stood and shook it firmly.

“Well played mon amie. Well played.”

Then it was a whirlwind of pictures, questions, and congratulations from the organizers as well as the casino management. The money was sorted by bank transfer, with all taxes already accounted for. By the time he was done, he just wanted Aaron.

They walked back to their hotel and went straight up to their room. They were greeted by Jackson and Adam with a congratulatory dinner prepared by their in-room chef. Spencer smiled as he sank down in a chair, happy but exhausted. Aaron poured him a glass of wine and moments later the four men were sharing an exquisite meal.

Spencer didn’t want to admit that he liked Jackson. He also didn’t want to admit that he really liked Adam, because it brought a sadness to him to see what Adam could have been under different circumstances. The young man was smart, funny, engaging, and gorgeous. It didn’t take long for him to recognize what Jackson saw in him.

Conversation flowed between them and Spencer felt Jackson was studying him closely.

“Alright, what’s the story Aaron. Because you and I both know, that is not Spencer.” Spencer froze in mid-bite, staring at Jackson.

“Wondered how long it would take for you to notice Jax. It’s a long complicated story.”

“We have time.”

“Aaron, don’t you think too many people know already?” Spencer leaned in and whispered.

“Spencer, I trust Jackson with my very life.” Spencer didn’t like it, but conceded that Aaron knew better than him.

Aaron went on to tell Jackson everything. And when the man burst out laughing, Spencer thought he had gone crazy.

“Well, Spencer is always going on about everyone having a twin. You know I won’t tell a soul Aaron.”

“Like I said, I trust you with my life. Now, it’s been a long day, I think we all need some sleep, we’re going to need it for what we have planned for tomorrow night.”

Spencer still hadn’t been told what was going on, but decided to wait for Aaron to tell him rather than ask directly. He was exhausted anyway and just wanted to sleep. The next day he wanted to do a little sightseeing and some shopping. They said their goodnights and as Spencer was sliding into bed, he was mentally and physically exhausted, but excited at the same time. He was having difficulty settling till Aaron had him roll onto his stomach, and he felt the man’s weight settle on top of him. His wrists were grasped and held above his head. After a few minutes, he settled and welcomed the weight. He sighed and moments later slipped into sleep.

* * *

Their last day in Atlantic City came with good news. Victor was out of surgery and he was going to make it. Both Aaron and Jackson relaxed, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of them. Jackson had ordered his personal security detail to watch over Victor. If anyone tried to finish what they started, they wouldn’t get the chance.

Aaron took Spencer sightseeing around the city. As they walked, Spencer asked about his history with Jackson.

“We met in college. Jax was already out and proud, but his parents had disowned him because of it. We became roommates and then lovers. We were inseparable in college. But, with how he was treated growing up he had a lot of insecurities. He started to go to the Dom/sub clubs. Before he even realized he was a Dominant, he got involved with someone who tried to take advantage of him, shaping him into a sexual slave. He had gone into a deep depression over it, so I stepped in, and helped him sort out who he really was.

“We do love each other, Spencer. It’s a strong bond, but we knew a long time ago that we wouldn’t be able to live with each other. Too much alike in many ways. But, I’d never give him up. Sometimes those insecurities will rear up and he comes to me when he needs comfort and security because he trusts me. It takes a lot for him to trust others and he doesn’t take a sub lightly. You’ll have to accept this, there is no arguing on the subject of Jackson Grimes.”

Spencer curled his fingers around Aaron’s.

“It isn’t my place. I’m sure my counterpart doesn’t have issues with your relationship. I have no right to be jealous.” Though Spencer was. He knew he shouldn’t be, that their physical relationship was intermittent at best, but he couldn’t help what he was feeling. He would have to accept it because he had a feeling they were going to be seeing a lot of Jackson Grimes in the coming months.

“Good. Ready to head back? We have to get ready for tonight.”

“Yeah. I think we spent enough money.” Spencer was surprised by just how much money they had dropped on presents for Jack and some of the other’s in the house. He was particularly excited by the antique sextant he had found and purchased for Charlie.

They walked back to the hotel in companionable silence. When they got to the suite, Aaron put in an order for a light, early dinner. The chef talked with him for a few minutes and they agreed on a menu of a steak salad. Then he led Spencer into the bedroom and pulled out the garment bag that he hadn’t allowed Spencer to look inside of.

“Go take a shower, make sure you thoroughly clean yourself and shave. When you’re done you’ll dress in what I have here, no arguments. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer’s stomach was fluttering in anticipation as he ran into the bathroom and did exactly what Aaron asked of him. When he came back out his eyes landed on the...clothes was a relative term to what was on the bed. A leather body harness and a pair of leather pants with open laces all down the sides. They looked like they were going to leave nothing to the imagination. Spencer swallowed hard as he looked at the items.

“This first.” Aaron held up the harness, which Spencer nervously let Aaron put on him. The very bottom of it had a cock ring that fit around him snugly. There was no way that he wasn’t going to feel it every time he moved. Then he pulled on the leather pants, which hung low on his hips and hugged his legs. Aaron had him walk around the room, getting used to the feeling of the outfit. When he looked at himself in the mirror he was shocked. The workout sessions with Derek and Aaron had been very beneficial. His muscles were more defined. He didn’t have six pack abs, but his chest and stomach had more definition than he had ever had. His thighs had bulked out just enough that anyone could see how muscular they were through the laced sides. The gold of the nipple rings contrasted against the milky white of his skin. His breath caught in his throat at truly seeing himself for the first time.

“Beautiful,” Aaron whispered in his ear as he bussed a kiss against the back of his neck. “Come and sit.” Spencer was breathless as he sat down at the vanity. Aaron took off the collar he was wearing and he couldn’t help the whine that escaped from his mouth. “Shh, Kitten. I have something special just for tonight.”

Spencer waited in anticipation, then cool metal was being snapped around his neck. When he looked in the mirror his eyes widened at the platinum that now encircled his neck. Imbedded in it were gem quality peridot chevrons. On the front was a solid platinum ring. Aaron leaned down and snapped a leash into the ring and Spencer swallowed hard. He felt wholly and completely owned in that moment. He was turned in the chair and Aaron kissed him hard and possessively.

“One last thing.” Aaron bent down on one knee and picked up a jewelry box that was sitting on the vanity. Carefully he took out the gold hoops in Spencer’s nipples and replaced them with ones that were identical to the collar he now was wearing. The platinum and peridot complimenting his skin. Wide cuffs in the same materials were then snapped around his wrists. Spencer was watching Aaron closely, wondering what was going to happen next. When all he did was grab some hair product and played with Spencer’s now shoulder length hair, emphasizing his curls, he relaxed. “Now you’re ready.” Aaron grabbed the end of the leash and pulled Spencer along.

They met Jackson and Adam in the living room.

“Jesus Christ Aaron. That man is sex on two legs.” Jackson’s eyes went dark with lust. “To bad you’re a selfish bastard,” he growled.

“We’ll see. Come on, we don’t want to be late.” Spencer finally got a good look at Aaron and almost choked. He was wearing a tight fitting blood red button down that was tucked into a pair of dark denim that looked like they were painted on. He was wearing little jewelry except for a ring in the same platinum and peridot and a thin wrist cuff. Spencer wasn’t even paying attention to what Jackson and Adam were wearing, his eyes were only on Aaron.

As they moved through the hotel, Spencer knew they made quite a spectacle, but from what he learned over the last few months, most of the press knew much of their relationship. They never hid who they were. When Spencer had done research and looked into his doppelganger, the man proudly wore the collar and sometimes even cuffs, even at black-tie events. He liked showing off who he was, and Spencer knew it boosted Aaron’s ego to show off his lover.

By the time they were walking into the club, Spencer’s heart was pounding hard in his chest, and his stomach was in knots.

“Listen to me, Kitten. You are mine, no one else’s. If anyone dares to touch you, you are allowed to tell them no. If they don’t back off, you let me know, understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good. You’re going to see a lot of things, you must act like you’ve seen them before. Put on that poker face of yours and you’ll be fine.”

Spencer wasn’t quite as innocent as Aaron believed. Not much could shock him anymore and he often used his poker face when entering a new situation. He was jarred out of his thoughts when the leash was pulled and he almost stumbled forward. Righting himself he followed Aaron and the four of them went into the club through a side entrance. They made their way to a low booth that was front and center of the stage. As they sat, Spencer was pulled onto Aaron’s lap. Only then did he allow himself to look around.

Spencer noticed just how many men and women were looking at him. It was a new experience, people looking at him like they wanted to fuck him. He smirked at them as he wrapped an arm around Aaron’s neck and leaned into him. The booth they were in was angled in such a way that they could see the stage, but also had a good view of the club, and in return, patrons had a good view of them. Spencer knew what happening, Aaron was showing him off. That sense of being owned should have freaked him out, but it didn’t, not even when Aaron pulled him into a kiss with his hand settling on his cock, stroking him through the leather.

While outright sex wasn’t allowed in the main area of the club, there were many couples that skirted that edge. Around the perimeter of the club were barely private sections that could be used for impact play as well as other types of play that exhibitionist couples could engage in.

“That’s beautiful ink, Mr. Hotchner.” A young man came to their booth with a tray and a notepad in his hand.

“Thank you, Seamus. How is Red doing?”

“He sends his regards. What can I get you this evening, sir?”

“Brink us a bottle of the Hennessy X.O. and a bottle of the 2007 Vidal Blanc. Has Piotr prepared any new confections?”

“Yes sir. Shall I bring out a variety?”

“Please. Thank you, Seamus.” The young man left and Aaron went back to kissing and teasing Spencer.

“The two of you are going to be the death of me.” Jackson teased.

Spencer, feeling bold, turned in Aaron’s lap, giving everyone a view of his back. He bent and kissed Aaron who gripped his hips and pulled him harder onto his lap. The waiter came back with the bottles and glasses appropriate for each drink. Jackson told him to pour the Cognac first. He had Adam draped on his own lap, the two of them doing nothing more than touching.

Several people throughout the night tried to proposition Aaron for time with Spencer, and each time the offers were politely declined. Spencer felt a mixture of embarrassment and flattery. When the house lights started to dim, Aaron prodded Spencer to turn around, but stay in his lap.

“Ladies and Gentlemen. We have a treat for you tonight, a special exhibition from Lady Heather, and her sub Gil. Please refrain from clapping, and a reminder that filming and photography are prohibited during the performance.” The announcer left, the club became hushed, and a moment later Lady Heather appeared on stage. Spencer had to swallow a moment to keep under control. Aaron wasn’t helping as his hands wandered over Spencer’s exposed skin, playing with his nipple rings, and fingers slipping between the laces on his pants. He glanced over a few times to see Jackson giving him heated looks.

He looked up on the stage where the sub was strapped to a St. Andrew's Cross and Lady Heather was using a barbed whip, which made shallow cuts all over the subs back. What amazed Spencer was that the man didn’t cry out once. The exhibition went on for several more minutes, and Spencer was positively squirming in Aaron’s lap. A hand was still on his cock teasing him. When it was over, and the house lights were brought up once more, wine gone, as well as the confections, and Spencer was aching.

“I think it’s time to get our boys back to the hotel. What do you say Jax?”

“Oh, I think you’re right.” Aaron left instructions to have the Cognac sent to his penthouse. It wasn’t long before they were back in the hotel. Aaron pulled Spencer into a room that he hadn’t yet entered. It was a set-up similar to the playroom back home.

“Strip,” Aaron demanded. Spencer didn’t balk at the order, but almost hissed when he removed the cock ring. “I want to see you under Jackson’s hand. I want to watch him dominate you. Can you do this for me Spencer?”

Spencer was breathing harder the more he thought about it. If he wasn’t so worked up, with a few drinks in him, he probably wouldn’t have agreed, but he almost moaned at the suggestion.

Aaron smiled and quickly went to get the other couple and was back in just a couple of minutes.

“You can touch, but no sex.”

“You’ve never offered before Aaron, why now? Is it because he is so different from your Pet?” Jackson held Aaron by the hips as he pulled him close kissing him. Pulling back Jackson left Aaron and walked to Spencer. Ghosting his fingers over Spencer’s shoulders he leaned down and whispered in his ear. “You like pain?”

Spencer shivered at the almost touch and closed his eyes, “Yes.”

Jackson breathed in and nuzzled against Spencer’s ear, “Good.” He then led the younger man to the rack on the west wall of the room. A large bed and two comfortable chairs were on the east. Jackson secured Spencer, with his back towards the room where everyone could watch. Jackson walked back to Aaron.

“Strip, and sit in that chair, but you can’t touch yourself, and you can’t come. I want to fuck you later and make your boy watch.”

“Fuck, Jackson.”

“Later. Now, sit.” He pushed Aaron into the chair, and grabbed Adam, who he strapped naked against the wall. “I’ll get to you later. No cumming until I tell you you can. Understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” Jackson then walked to a wall where several impact instruments were displayed and pulled off the whip. He snapped it a few times against the floor, loosening his wrist. Then, without warning, he cracked it against Spencer’s back making the man cry out in shock.

Spencer knew immediately that Jackson was very different from Aaron. He was relentless. He used the whip expertly. It never wrapped around his waist, but he didn’t let up. His cock was so hard from all the stimuli, that it was achingly painful.

“Please, Sir,” Spencer whined as his body slumped, his head lolling back. He could just see over his shoulder, Aaron gripping the chair, his cock hard and Spencer almost moaned at the sight.

“Please what?” Jackson grabbed his hair and forced him to look up at him.

“I need to come, please,” Spencer begged.

“Pretty,” Jackson stroked Spencer’s cheek making him moan low in his throat. “It’s not for me to decide. Let’s ask Aaron.” Jackson turned a wicked eye towards Aaron, “Well, do you want to let him?”

“No.” Aaron gave him a dark, hard look. “I want to try something. I want to see if he’ll come without being touched.” Aaron’s wicked laugh had Spencer’s breathing hard in both fear and anticipation. “I want you to fuck me, with him tied to a chair, so he can’t touch.”

“You are a wicked, wicked man. I think that’s why I love you.” Jackson put the whip away and set-up a chair about an inch from the bed. He helped Spencer out of the restraints and led him to the chair where he secured his ankles and then his hands behind his back. He stripped before letting Adam down and brought him to the bed. “You. Stay. No touching.” Jackson ordered.

Aaron was watching Spencer the whole time and reveled in how his eyes were darkening and his cock was still hard and waiting.

“Jackson’s right, Kitten. You are very pretty sitting there wanting. I see the frustration in your eyes, but the want as well. Tonight, you only get to watch.”

“Sir,” Spencer whined, he couldn’t help it, he needed and his body was tight with tension.

“No whining Kitten.” Aaron glared for a moment, then he had a lap full of Jackson Grimes, kissing him and grinding obscenely against him. Aaron brought his arms around the man and pulled him closer and thrust up, his hands gripped the other man’s back as the kisses turned deeper, tongues tangling, exploring each other’s mouths. Jackson was undulating, moving against Aaron and the moans coming from Spencer assured them that they were definitely putting on quite the show.

Jackson finally pulled away and slid off Aaron’s lap. With just a nod of his head, he indicated the bed.

“I want you on your hands and knees facing your Kitten.” Jackson stroked a hand down Aaron’s cheek before pushing him down on the bed. Panting hard Aaron quickly complied and gazed directly at Spencer. He was so focused on his lover, watching his expression and the way he squirmed as his cock twitched, that he didn’t even notice when Jackson got behind him until he was being breached. Aaron gripped the bedspread as the sudden spike in pleasure almost made his knees buckle.

“God you’re so tight,” Jackson growled as Aaron’s hips were gripped in a bruising hold, then he was being fucked, hard and fast.

“Oh god, Sir…” Spencer was so hard that it was painful. “Please, please,” he begged, but all it got him was a smoldering look from Aaron.

“Look at your boy Aaron. He’s so hard that it’s probably painful. I bet he wants you to touch him, or suck that beautiful cock. Look at him squirming, trying to find relief. So.” Jackson thrust in hard then pulled back and thrust again. “Fucking.” A repeat and Aaron was crying out as he pushed back against Jackson. “Hot.” A hard thrust, and Jackson was grunting out his release. Pulling out he quickly, he disposed of the condom, then flipped Aaron onto his back and took his cock in his mouth. Aaron’s eyes never left Spencer.

“Close, so close Jax.” Aaron thrust up as Jackson took all of him in his mouth. “Kitten, I want you to come when I come.” Aaron gripped the bed as his cock was being worked over relentlessly. He locked eyes with Spencer and gave a small nod as he thrust in Jackson’s mouth, coming.

Spencer was so worked up, his body flush from the exertion that when he heard Aaron come, his body responded and he was crying out as thick streams of cum shot up, coating his chest and stomach. When he could open his eyes he saw Jackson kissing Aaron once again. A part of him wanted to be jealous, but he was just too spent.

They all looked to Adam who had fallen asleep, his own release coating his hand. Jackson just shook his head as he woke his sub and took him to their bedroom to get him cleaned up.

Aaron stood and released the restraints holding Spencer to the chair, then pulled the younger man into his arms, kissing him, holding him close.

“You were beautiful. Let’s clean-up, then go to bed. We have a late start in the morning and I have an agent to ruin.” Spencer couldn’t even protest as he was being lifted and carried to their bedroom. He wasn’t sure what Aaron had in mind, but he knew it wasn’t anything good, but at the moment he just didn’t care.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer ordered breakfast to be delivered when he called back down. Aaron was still asleep and he didn't want to wake him. Spencer was taking the morning to learn as much as he could about Jackson and his company. He found no evidence that Jackson was dating anyone serious and it seemed that all the pictures of him at events had a revolving door of men on his arm. From the dress and countenance of the men, he knew they were escorts and it didn’t shock him.

The knock on the door had Spencer slipping on his robe to answer it. The woman there with his carafe of coffee was very beautiful. He smiled at her and tipped her as he took the tray with the carafe and the little bowl of sugar and creamer of milk. A coffee cup was placed on the tray upside down. He shut the door and moved over to the island where he was settled in to do his research. After setting the tray down, he moved to the bedroom door and checked on Aaron, who was still dead to the world.

An hour later, Spencer was seventy eight pages into the last report put out by Grimes Tech on what the future held for the company. It was a month old and so far nothing relating to him was jumping out. He was so lost in it that he didn't even hear Aaron getting up until he felt arms wrap around him. He settled into the arms.

"Research into Grimes?" Aaron asked.

"Trying to find out exactly what he wants me to do for him. There is nothing in this. Nothing, and I don't like going into a situation without knowing why I am there."

"You'll have me there."

"That is true. He seemed rather interested in having you there."

"Do you have a little time?"

"Before the start of the next round, yes. Why?" Spencer closed the laptop and turned around in Aaron's arms. He gasped to see that while Aaron had a robe on, he was naked under it. Naked and hard.

"I want your lips around my cock."

Spencer pushed Aaron back to where he could slip down to the floor from the stool. He licked at the head of the cock in front of his face. The strong taste of the drop of release there made him moan as he took the head in his mouth. Aaron grabbed at his hair, holding him still. He couldn't move closer and Aaron was refusing to let him take more than the head in his mouth. So he licked all around the head and sucked. The fluid he collected with the passing of his tongue over the slit was strong and bitter, evidence of his drinking from the night before.

Slowly, Spencer was fed the cock inch by inch. After he had serviced each new section of flesh he was given another. He hadn't worshipped a cock like this in a long time and he forgot how good it was.

"Your mouth..." Aaron moaned and Spencer looked up at him. His eyes were closed and he was biting at his lower lip. Aaron was taking it so slow that when the head of his cock was swallowed down Spencer's throat, he gasped and his head dropped. His eyes open wide, he stared as Spencer took the last inch of him in his mouth. Aaron started to rock in and out of his mouth, no urgency. No rush for anything. Spencer shifted to take pressure of his knees. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the submission of it. He hadn't had a chance to go to the club yet. This though, Spencer shuddered and gave himself over fully to it. He clasped his hands behind his back and just floated. He listened to Aaron’s noises and felt his own pleasure at being used to give this man pleasure.

Spencer felt the semen flood his mouth and started to swallow as it filled him. He was still skirting subspace as Aaron pulled his cock from his mouth. Steady hands pulled him up and he was pressed down onto the stool. Cool air hit his cock and Spencer could feel the cooling heat from his release. Aaron leaned him back to relax back onto the island before his hands left him. A minute later, he was back with a warm wet washcloth, cleaning him up. He opened his eyes to watch as Aaron adjusting his body and rewrapping his robe around him tightly.

"Nap?" Spencer asked. He leaned forward into Aaron, burying his face into his skin. Needing the smell to help him stay there right where he wanted to be.

"It's a late day today right?" Aaron sounded a little worried.

"I set an alarm in case you talked me into lazing with you in bed today."

"Then let's go take a nap on the couch." Aaron helped him stand and they moved over to it. Aaron settled down onto the couch and looked up at Spencer as he laid down on top of him. Spencer’s phone was on the end table at the head of the couch. He settled in and with Aaron's hand running through his hair he fell into sleep.

Aaron gently shaking him woke him up. He rolled his head to look at the wall clock. He had enough time to eat a nice lunch before it was time to start the round for the day. Aaron was watching him as he got ready. Today, he chose dark purple pants with a color coordinating shirt and a lilac vest. With the possibility of Aaron and him being caught on camera and seen by the FBI, they had to be careful about appearances while out. Still, he was dressed to the best. He knew that Aaron didn't understand what exactly had happened when they had sex that morning and he'd tried to talk to him about a Dom/sub lifestyle before but the man had just talked about work aspects. So Spencer had dropped it.

Jackson was waiting in the one of the lounges off the main playing area. They were down to the last elimination round before the final ten faced each other. Aaron stayed in Spencer's sight the entire night, drinking what looked like ginger ale. He only looked at him in between hands and Aaron smiled every time their eyes met.

"So why did your boss come with you?" the player next to him asked as a waitress took drink orders for the whole table.

"He'd never been to anything like this before. And with our job, any day away from work is a vacation. So he asked to come and I agreed." Spencer tilted his mostly empty glass and nodded at the waitress when she looked at him. He'd been drinking club sodas as the cheeky bartender wasn't working that night.

"Is it true you are the FBI agent?"

"Yes." Spencer answered all the questions asked by the two men that he had learned hadn't played the year prior. The waitress quickly returned with the drinks and they were playing once again. Hand after hand Spencer realized exactly how gullible these people were. He was still faking a tell and had been making it a little worse and worse as the game played on.

It was now time for the three hour dinner break and Spencer was looking forward to the short respite from the game. Aaron met him at the edge of the playing area and smiled. It was a soft smile and Spencer reached over and squeezed his hand before Jackson came upon them.

"Are we ready? I have my car waiting outside to take us over. I called and made sure the room will be ready for us." Jackson gave Spencer a heart stopping smile before the man turned to Aaron. "Agent Hotchner, are you having fun in Atlantic City?"

Spencer narrowed his eyes at the tone he was using. Aaron, though, wasn't paying attention to it.

"I am. I've only ever been here for cases so it's nice to relax and enjoy."

Jackson led them to the car, opening the door, and Spencer ushered Aaron in first. It wasn't a limo but the back did have two sets of seats facing each other. Aaron slid into the one facing the front and Spencer slid in beside him. Jackson took the seat across from them, settling in the middle.

"I don't share, Mr. Grimes," Spencer said as soon as the partition was up and they were on their way.

"You are quite the viper, Doctor Reid."

"Spencer," Aaron lowly whispered in his ear. Spencer laid his hand on Aaron's thigh and squeezed.

"Mr. Grimes would love to have you in his bed, Aaron, and he's not going to stop making insinuations about it until you or I stopped him. I know you would never do it for fear of him screwing with whatever intellectual courtship he is attempting to establish with me."

"Doctor Reid has me by the short and curlies, Agent Hotchner. He is very much right. I do prefer your type to his when it comes to my bed, but I do understand when to back off if necessary. Now why don't we dispense with formalities. You both may call me Jackson."

"Spencer."

"Aaron."

Spencer looked out to see what he could view of the city. He heard Jackson talking about some of the places they passed. This Atlantic City looked a lot different than his own. This world was much lighter and almost friendlier. His world was snapping out of a state of decay. Jackson was attempting to control his flirting but as Aaron leaned forward to look out the window, Jackson leaned in close. Spencer hissed and Jackson sat back with a smirk. The man was testing his situational awareness. Spencer raised an eye and Jackson just raised a shoulder in reply.

"Ah here we are!" Jackson exclaimed stepping out of the car while holding the door for his guests. Spencer stepped out and leaned close to Jackson's ear.

"I wouldn't suggest playing with me, Jackson. I'd set the world on fire for him and laugh while it burns." Spencer wasn't going to play games with Jackson. He was willing to share his Aaron with Jackson because he knew that despite the love they shared, Aaron and Jackson’s relationship couldn’t last long term. A few shared nights of passion was all they would ever have.

Jackson looked him in the eye and nodded. There was fear in his eyes but Spencer knew he'd keep his hands to himself. Harmless flirting was allowed, he didn't think that Jackson could breathe without flirting, but anything more was unacceptable.

They were seated in a small alcove with had a curtain blocking them off from the rest of the restaurant. Pitchers and glasses of ice water were already waiting for them when they sat down

"I just ordered an array of food that they'll bring out as we need them." Jackson smiled as a tray of appetizers were set down in the center of the table. "I promised you an offer you couldn’t refuse."

"You did."

"Two million dollars to oversee a joint project."

Aaron sputtered but Spencer just stared at him.

"For what?"

"VICAP is adequate for what it is, but the BAU has shown time and again that criminals are thinking outside the box. Too many are changing their signature just enough to go undetected. Then there are those offenders that operate state to state just to avoid detection. What I want to do is fund a server farm within each state that will house a database that includes all cases, regardless of severity."

"And who would maintain it?"

"I'd fund that as well. The breakup of counties, townships, and cities would be at your discretion. I figured it would be a good job for retired cops and veterans, even disabled ones who can no longer function in a day to day job. Even some of the veterans or cops with PTSD or who have become shut ins. Benefits would match what all Grimes Tech employees have including healthcare."

"To what end?" Aaron asked.

"If a single killer a year is caught with this database before they take another victim, I'd consider it money well spent. Using resources like disabled cops and veterans means that I can take part of it as a tax write-off. It's not all altruistic. My board has already agreed to it. The DOJ has as well. It's not their money, just their oversight that I need. The security measures that I want to put in place are already higher than what they use. The server farms are going into production in the next few weeks but I need to find sites in each state for them. All soft and hardware will be provided by Grimes Tech. Most of the software it will be beta programs that need a good workout before being released to the public, but the reason I want you is because you don't give a shit about anything but the victims. Also the DOJ said that I needed an actual FBI agent to oversee it."

"What exactly will I be doing?"

"You'll have an assistant that will do all of the on-site work but you'll oversee it all. You'll help me finish with the database that I am building as well as manage all upgrades that happen in real time. We are going to start with DC and the FBI's databases on every offender in the mid-Atlantic region. From there we will add in New York then California. I added those first because they are the top two states to request assistance from the BAU. After that it will all be at your discretion. My hope is that in five years we can have all fifty states at least up and running even if adding in backlogged cold cases takes longer. The BAU and the DOJ does great with the current systems, don’t get me wrong, but there are some areas that it doesn't reach as well. You will also help me design a website that will run on anything, even computers that still use Windows ME. I want everyone to have access to it and it won't cost a single thing."

"You make a good pitch but I want to know why you want to do this. It's going to get you great publicity for working with veterans and disabled cops and even from your desire to catch killers, but I want to know the personal reason why."

"Victor Marks was a long-standing friend of mine. He was killed five years ago because of a killer who kept crossing state lines. He’d pick small towns and never killed more than a few before moving on. Victor was an art collector for museums and galleries and the like. The man who killed him was caught because of an unrelated crime. He kept trophies and what he kept from Victor was a necklace that I had given him. The smarter the criminals get, the smarter law enforcement has to get, and sometimes the funds are just not there."

Spencer felt his stomach plummet to his feet. Victor Marks. He'd not thought to look him up, even after he'd researched this Jackson after meeting him. Aaron was close to Jackson and Spencer was close to Victor, but there was no love there, he didn't feel that emotion outside of Aaron and Jack. They had a mutual close friendship but nothing more. To find that he was dead though, a long time dead at that, hurt fiercely. Even if Spencer was going to agree to this job, he'd do it without the added benefit of it stopping someone from killing someone like Victor. While he hated that his friend was dead in this world, he didn't have enough emotional investment to care about the deaths of these people. However, he figured that this opportunity was exactly the type of job the other Spencer would agree to.

"And exactly how much time are you expecting me to put into this? The BAU isn't exactly the kind of job that allows a secondary one."

"Most of your input will be done through your assistant. He or she will know your wishes. All hiring will be done through them and if you need a bigger team, you'll get it. I want your brain to make sure that this doesn't get fucked up by the DOJ or anyone else. Your name carries weight in the criminal academic world. I was thinking that some of the criminal justice students could help in their states over summer breaks. Others can be added as needed, like cops who are on leave from work due to surgery. If we can get them a laptop, we can get them putting in cases for their department. No crime will be left out, break-ins, beatings. The BAU has proved that a lot of these lesser crimes are serial UnSubs just getting their feet wet."

"You've put a lot of thought into this," Spencer mused as he sat back to allow the waitress to remove their plates. The appetizers were gone and Spencer hadn't realized that he'd been grabbing bites as he listened to Jackson talking. He was used to working lunches with his Aaron and eating what was in front of him as Aaron's clients were adventurous. It was a relatively safe place where no one would attempt to poison him.

"I spent years on this. I've been rejected by the DOJ five times. This is the first time I have got the green light and I don’t give a rat's ass about the publicity. The only reason that I even thought about including retired cops or disabled veterans is that the people I paid to brainstorm this brought it up as a good resource for employees. Having a name like your's attached gets me in good with colleges. How many doctorates do you have?"

Spencer raised an eyebrow but answered. "Seven." As soon as it left his mouth, he recoiled inside knowing that he had fucked up. He looked at Aaron out of the corner of his eye and saw the man staring at him. "Seven degrees total. Working on, that is." Spencer decided to just shut his mouth.

"Still more than me, and way more than many of the people you will be working with. So..." Jackson leaned back in his chair as the three waitresses set down three plates of food. They were gone again before Spencer could even blink.

"A two million dollar salary is nothing to blink at. But you still haven't exactly told me how much work you see me doing in a week. I have a life and I have a lover."

"The average will be ten to fifteen hours for a normal person but it's mainly reading and I'm told that your reading speed is astounding. It'll be playing around with the database and the website. I want your name more than anything, Spencer. Oh, I want your brain as well, but mainly it's the name."

"Send me the contract when the tournament is done and I'll look it over." Spencer pulled out the card that he has slipped in the pocket of his vest and slid it over. "If it's to my liking, I'll sign it. If not, we can negotiate."

* * *

The day of the final round was gloomy but it wasn't raining so Aaron and Spencer went out to do a little window shopping. Spencer found a few gifts appropriate for his team members for Christmas. Aaron walked beside him, as close as was allowed. Given that the streets were packed with others, it was a lot closer than normal unless they wanted people to keep walking between them.

"You move through this kind of world so easy. No one on the team would believe it," Aaron said.

"I grew up in Vegas. I understand that the team kind of forgets that on occasion. It never sleeps and all that 'morning' means is that the early risers get to the casinos first. Back then a kid could slip in and watch. Sometimes the players would take pity and let me get close and that's how I learned. Of course, it was easy to watch and learn it all with the memory and intelligence I had." Spencer smiled at Aaron. He'd found a paper from the other Spencer's childhood that told of how he learned to play and how he won his first hand at poker. "So I followed around this one man from game to game and finally he had me sit in at a game of poker. They were playing for fun. Just a fifty dollar game. They all gave me fifty. There I was with four hundred and fifty dollars sitting in front of me. They told me that whatever I had in my hands when I had to leave, I could keep."

"And?"

"I won. Took the money home. I kept a little bit of it for fun and deposited the rest into our account. Mom never knew where it came from and I never told but it helped in the lean times when she couldn't work. They called it beginner's luck but only let me play when they were playing for fun. I only ever left with a few hundred after that. Telling them I had to get home. It was easy to learn tells and how to hide my own from them. I had fun and I loved the game. Then it was off to college where it was a lot easier to take money from the older kids. They'd get drunk and play games. Just fifty dollars won a game but when it kept me in food, it wasn't that hard to take it from them."

"Is that why you play this...to make sure?"

"I play poker because it's fun and in this life I don't get a lot of fun that’s not work. I love work, I do. But I need a diversion now and again, and poker is it."

"Not me?" Aaron asked with a smirk.

"You are a carnal diversion. This is a mental one. All that matters are the players I play with. The skills I've picked up as a profiler have helped. But I only rely on myself."

"A carnal diversion," Aaron repeated with a weird smile on his face. Spencer wanted to lean over and kiss the look off his face.

"What do you call what we do behind closed doors?" Spencer asked. He looked ahead and saw that they were coming up on a kid's shop. He smiled at the display of toys in the window.

"Making love."

"Which is carnal. Aaron you are not going to win the word game with me." Spencer moved to open the door to the shop but instead, he was grabbed and spun into the corner, lips pressing into his.

"You make it sound salacious."

"Well to many it is. Two men having sex. Having filthy, loud, rough sex. Especially with you so much older than me." Spencer breathed into Aaron's mouth and the man's eyes became black with arousal. He looked to the side to make sure that no one was looking at them and as he did he saw something that had him smiling. There was a Snorlax play bed in the corner of the store. He pushed Aaron back and opened the door to enter the store. He moved right over to it. Before coming to this world he had heard of Pokémon but hadn't paid much attention to it as Jack hadn't shown any interest. He wasn't sure if it was that he didn't like it or that he'd not been exposed enough, but this Jack, this Jack loved Pokémon. He'd spent a night researching it on the Internet and had discovered that it was a game his Jack might just love.

"Spencer?" Aaron asked.

Spencer turned back to look at him and found that he was adjusting himself.

"There is just enough room in Jack's room for this. If we get rid of that old bean bag that he uses to read in. And then you wouldn't worry about transferring him like you do and he could do movie night in it in the living room."

"He would love it." Aaron stepped up behind him as Spencer turned towards the bed again. He saw that all around it was a collection of toys. He and Aaron had spent a great deal of the tournament having sex instead of doing anything else. They'd seen none of the things they had wanted to and that was fine with Spencer but it meant that the money he had set aside for fun and gifts was just sitting there, and Jack would be a lovely recipient of all that money. Jack's favorite Pokémon was Eevee and her evolutions and there was a lovely set of bedsheets featuring those creatures. "I know that look."

"I've got to bring back presents for Jack from this trip. He's still a little young to come for something like this so we have to let him know that we missed him." It was the same reasoning he used on his Aaron but the man was usually just toying with him. They never went anywhere without bringing back several hundred dollars worth of things for their boy.

"I don't know why I ever thought that you were just humoring me with Jack."

"I don't know. If I didn't like kids, why would I pursue with a man who has one?"

"There are a lot of men and women who do that all the time," Aaron said.

"And what made you think that I was like every Tom, Dick, and Harriet?" Spencer huffed and stepped away from Aaron. No matter the life that Spencer had, he would have never started something with Aaron if he hadn't wanted to go all in, Jack included. He was too smart to think that Aaron could choose him over Jack and was much too hurt by his father leaving to ever do that to a child. Aaron's hand settled on his shoulder, squeezing as he stepped closer. As close to a physical apology as he was going to be able to do in the packed store.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up. Forgive me?" Aaron asked, lowly in his ear.

"Always. Love you," Spencer said as he ducked his head down to rub his cheek on Aaron's hand before it disappeared from his shirt. "So the Snorlax bean bag chair, the bed sheets, and what do you think of the stuffed Vulpix?"

"That's all?" Aaron asked, humor in his voice.

"All that I am getting him. We still have to pick a few things from you."

"But it's..."

Spencer knew what his argument was going to be, that it was all Spencer's money, but he closed his mouth and nodded. Aaron had brought some fun money with him and he'd got a few gifts for some of the team but he'd blown the rest on trying to gamble. He was wholly inept at gambling and it hadn't taken long for him to basically lose his shirt. Spencer was grateful Aaron had only allotted a little money for that.

"I'll find some things for him."

"Good. I'm going to find a few things for Henry." Spencer looked at his watch. If they wanted to get in a lunch somewhere before he needed to be back to start the final night, they didn't have a lot of time. "Twenty minutes?"

"I'll meet you at the register in twenty minutes."

Spencer found quite a few things for Henry and he was sure that he'd spent several hundred on each boy. Henry was a lovely little boy and Spencer was going to miss him when he went home. Another child was something that he and Aaron had never discussed. Jack had been enough but now...leaving this Jack and even Henry behind was going to create a hole in his heart. When he got back, he'd talk to Aaron. They had more than enough money, space, and an unending supply of love. There were plenty of children in foster care so finding one that would fit with them wouldn't be difficult. First though, he would have in ensure that Foyet couldn’t hurt his family.

"Are you ready?" Aaron asked as he came up behind him.

"Yes."

The cashier rang up their selections, and Spencer paid for them to be shipped to his apartment. His building manager signed for and held packages until the owners could retrieve them. Aaron tried to balk at how much he was paying for shipping but Spencer reasoned that the price to have them stored as cargo on the plane back to D.C. would cost twice as much, so Aaron conceded.

After shopping they had a quick lunch and then ventured back to the hotel to get dressed. Spencer had shopped for a suit to wear at the final game after discovering the other Spencer was signed up for the tournament. The rich black pants and jacket were hanging up on the back of the door to the bedroom. The bag with his waistcoat and dress shirt were in the closet. Those were a deeper lilac color. When he'd tried the suit on after his rushed fitting, every person in the shop hadn't been able to take their eyes off him.

Aaron watched him dress with barely hidden hunger in his eyes. When he won, Spencer was going to come back and let Aaron take him however the older man wanted. He knew he’d be so tired that it wouldn't matter as long as they got off. The suit had been specifically picked for its ability to shed layers. Spencer’s established fake tell was removing clothing when he was nervous. His layered suit would allow him to remove each piece slowly, falsely signaling to the other players that he was apprehensive or that his resolve was weakening. An unbuttoned and then removed waistcoat would set his final adversary up for the kill.

The crowd in the watching area was larger than normal. He could see sponsors and other benefactors milling around. Making it to the top ten meant that some players might be going pro. Spencer didn't bother entertaining any of them. Jackson was along the edge of the room laughing each time Spencer sent someone away refusing to talk to them.

Spencer tried to mingled with a few of the other players but when he noticed a card floozie chatting up Aaron, he became irate. He excused himself as Joshua, the last player to have been dropped, snorted into his hand when Spencer's eyes narrowed on the shameless woman.

"Excuse me," Spencer said to the back of the woman. She turned around and looked at him with a smug frown on her face. "You really don't want to try this, ma'am. I could see the gaping hole that is your hidden ace from across the room. Despite the clothing that you wear."

"Reid!" Aaron growled in a scandalized tone. Spencer refused to look at him, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the incorrigible woman. He would have been less upset if she had been an escort. The room was full of them. At least an escort had a reason to approach a man at a tournament event, but it should be obvious to anyone who watched them that they were together. He didn't care for lecherous women and this one seemed particularly brazen. He dealt with women like her all the time in his home world and he was eager to dispose of her immediately.

"Yes, dear?" Spencer asked coyly. At the quirk of Aaron's eyebrow, Spencer knew that he'd stunned him. "Speak up, Aaron. Still a little hoarse from the blowjob you gave me this morning?"

The woman sputtered, glared at him, and contemptuously sauntered away.

"Spencer, that was entirely inappropriate. We were just talking."

"She's a poker whore, Aaron. She jumps from event to event and fucks men. And she doesn't even do it for money like the escorts around the room. I, at least, understand the escorts’ motives."

Spencer was saved from Aaron's retort as the players were called back to the tables. He took his seat and blocked out everything from his mind except the game. He was feeling particularly confident since he had played against every person currently at the table at least once.

Hours went by and people dropped off one by one. As the night wore on, the drinks went from lightly alcoholic to none at all for most of the players. Spencer kept drinking Thin Mans. The break was shorter than usual so Spencer ate quickly in the hotel instead of in town. Aaron ate with him and didn't seem to take offense when Spencer was not the best company. He'd make up for it when they got back to the room that evening.

When it was down to him and the only woman to make it to the final round, Spencer knew he had it in the bag. He'd realized it before but this just assured him of it. He sat back in his chair and studied her. She'd identified his fake tell the first time they had played together and she'd been attempting to use it against him all night.

The cards were dealt and Spencer denied himself even a twitch a smile when he peered at his cards. He was only blinking when necessary. He had total control of his body. He had total control of everything. Hand after hand he slowly lost his fake tell and examined his opponent. As he became harder and harder to read, she grew increasingly more upset. When they laid down their cards for the final hand, the winner was going to take all. Her cards were flipped slowly and deliberately and she was smirking. She revealed a straight flush with the ten and jack of hearts in the river. Spencer flipped his first card, the ace of hearts, followed by a queen, and then a king. A royal flush to beat her straight. There was dead silence all around. Spencer smugly grinned at her as she glared back at him.

All the attention was on Spencer in the aftermath. It was a whirlwind of boring faces and superfluous discussions and all he wanted was to escape to his room and be fucked. But he endured it all knowing that his time alone with Aaron drew nearer. He'd certainly endured worse, but in those cases he had Aaron touching him, teasing him, making his blood boil. This was almost worse simply because all they could allow was the “accidental” skimming of skin or a casual pat or caress on the back. But it would all be worth it in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	7. Chapter Seven

#  _Our World_

Spencer looked up at JJ as she sat down on the edge of his desk. She was smiling at him so he turned to fully face her.

"Want me to watch Henry?" Spencer asked. He'd overheard JJ talking to Garcia about it. Garcia had looked like she wanted to offer, but she hadn't before JJ had left the little kitchenette area.

"Do you mind?" JJ asked with the smile on her face getting a little brighter.

"I don't mind at all. I'd love a weekend with my Godson."

"Are you really going to leave Henry with Reid all weekend? You aren't going to have someone else take him Saturday?" Garcia asked as she stopped at Spencer's desk.

Spencer was glad that no one was really looking at him at the moment. JJ was looking at Garcia and vice versa. Spencer wanted to blow up, but this wasn't the place for it. He wondered exactly how the other Spencer took this kind of doubt of him on a personal level. The team didn't doubt him when it came to work, as long as it wasn't something physical, but this...deep disrespect of him on a personal level had to hurt him. If it wasn't for what he had been able to gleen from some of the personal things that he had found, he would have thought that the other Spencer didn't have a spine at all. He didn't know why he didn't stand up for himself around the team, but he wasn't going to do that. He couldn't. His Aaron hadn't made him that way and there was no way that the other Spencer was going to come back from his time with his Aaron and not be changed.

"Am I not allowed to have Henry for a whole weekend?" Spencer asked Garcia. She looked at him a little shocked and her eyes went to above Spencer's shoulder. He wondered who had entered the bullpen then.

"I was going to leave Henry with Spence for the entire weekend yes," JJ said and she looked at Garcia like she was a little shocked.

"But he's...Reid. You didn't want to leave him with Henry when we had girl's night."

"The Belvedere thing was a joke," Spencer said. Aaron had talked to him about that and the whole thing with watching Henry. "Will picked him up from my place just before I went to watch Hotch do the triathlon. We had a fun night together."

"Yeah, but he was sleeping most of the time." Garcia seemed to laugh off anything that Spencer would say back. "That's not really caring for him. You are going to have to help him dress and feed him."

"I know what caring for a child entails, Garcia." Spencer really wanted to be anywhere but where he was. Back home with her in his room was the best option. He'd probably gag her because even the thought of her voice was giving him a headache.

"I just wanted to make sure that you knew."

"Because what? How has your life been any different than mine? You don't have kids. You don't have a sibling with children that you are around on a daily basis. Jack and Henry are the only kids that any of this teams has, and Jack's contact with any of us has never been on a babysitting basis. You were in foster care, yes but you've stated you never had to care for younger kids. How is forcing a toddler to get dressed worse than forcing my mother? I at least have some form of training on caring for another human being. Did you forget that my father left when I was ten and I was the sole caregiver for a paranoid schizophrenic mother for eight years?" Spencer stared at Garcia, watching as her face kind of blanked on him. He just stared at her and smiled as she turned and left without a single word.

JJ kissed Spencer's cheek, rubbing at what he assumed was lipstick. He'd had to get used to that because it wasn't something that his JJ would ever even think of doing. He wasn't sure if he liked it or not.

"I'm glad that you are finally standing up to her more."

"It's not worth it anymore," Spencer said. He was a little shocked that JJ had been talking to him about being more himself around Garcia.

"Good. Now do you want to stop by on your way home and pick him up, or do you want to have me and Will drop him off?"

"I have some things I need to move around to get out of little hands' way, so I would prefer if you drop him off, but if it's too much trouble, I can just pick him up and pin him in the kitchen while I clean up some things in the living room."

"No, we can drop him off. That's no problem. We will have plenty of time as I packed last night and put up all the stuff I needed to get ready for work today back in my suitcase when I was done."

"And a list of shows that he likes to watch?" Spencer asked. His Jack's taste in shows changed nearly every single six months when he was that age and he'd looked at one for kid's show that matched Henry's age.

"Sure. I'll write that down. Thank you so much, Spencer." JJ moved back towards her desk and she started to work on a file. Spencer turned back to his, figuring that he needed to clear his desk so that he wouldn't be tempted to take them with him. He wanted the weekend to get to know Henry. He'd been exposed to him in social settings, but that was it. He was more than willing to admit to himself that he was getting baby fever as it was called. Being around a younger Jack and even younger Henry made him miss the younger days of his Jack's life. Aaron didn't deny him anything, and if he wanted another kid, he knew that Aaron would give it to him. There was the social benefit of it as well. They'd be hits with everyone for taking in a kid from foster care. If their fairytale romance could get bigger with the news that would be it at least until they finally gave into societal pressure and got married.

"Pretty Boy!" Morgan said when there was just twenty minutes left in the work day. Spencer had already finished his files and had taken a few from JJ. He looked up at the dark skinned man as he got close. He was a little worried that Garcia had run to him and cried in his lap and Morgan was there to 'straighten' him out. "Anderson said that you are voluntarily watching a toddler this weekend?"

Spencer turned to look at the man in question, who ducked his head and buried himself in paperwork. Spencer kept his laugh to himself that man hadn't changed no matter what. He was good at his job, but his mouth would ruin him.

"I am watching Henry for Jayje this weekend. What about it?"

"Don't forget that Hotch is the one to call when you get stuck." Morgan's smile was huge on his face and he was laughing at his own joke way too much. "He's the actual parent on the team."

"I have more than enough knowledge and experience caring for a toddler Morgan. More than you." Spencer closed the file in front of him and slid it into his outbox. It was the last one. He grabbed his messenger bag and stood. He affixed his gun back to his belt where he'd taken it off and slipped it in a drawer after lunch. He strode up to Aaron's office and didn't even wait for him to acknowledge him, he knocked and entered the room. "I'm going home early, Hotch. I'll see you Monday morning. I'm watching Henry this weekend, so I might be in a little late on Monday."

Spencer pulled the door shut a little harder than he meant to. He was most of the way to the elevator when he heard Aaron's office door open.

"Reid!" Aaron said his tone would have been enough for the other Spencer to stop, but for him it was ingrained in him to obey. He stopped and turned around to look at Aaron. He wasn't upset, he just looked worried. "Let's talk in my office."

Spencer realized that everyone, Anderson included, was gone. It was only the team minus Garcia. Rossi had even come out of his office, leaning against the rail.

"No, I think I want to do this here. Is the Reid Effect that much of a joke that everyone started to fucking believe it? I don't hate children. I've never had that much exposure, but on the last seven cases that have had kids, who is the one who goes to them? Who talks to them? Does magic tricks to get them to open up? Me. It's fucking me. You, Hotch I can understand. I mean you almost lost Jack, being hesitant is understandable. But everyone else is acting like I have never watched my Godson before. That I am going to harm Henry. So tell me, what the hell do you all think about me really? If you all think so little of me, I'm not sure this team is where I need to be."

"Reid," Prentiss started but Aaron silenced her with a wave of his hand.

"What was said?"

"It started with Garcia and her questioning me leaving Henry with Spencer, and making sure that Saturday and Sunday he was staying with someone else. Now Morgan is telling him to call you when he messes up since you are the actual parent in the group." JJ didn't look that happy about that remark at all.

"I think they are deaf, dumb, and blind," Spencer said just loud enough for them all to hear. He was done. He just really was. He had been all for maintaining, as best he could, the relationships that Spencer had but this was the limit. This really was the limit and he wasn't going to take it anymore.

"I see. Well...I can't do much about that except send them for sensitivity training. Morgan, you and I are going to finish the discussion we were having in the wake of the prank you pulled and gave out Reid's number to reporters. JJ, go ahead home and enjoy your weekend. Reid, go home. Jack wanted to hang out this weekend, but if you are taking care of Henry, I'll tell him you are busy. Maybe next weekend."

"We can have a sleepover Saturday night. I'm sure Henry would love someone to play with. We can talk more, but Jack's a lovely little boy and I don't mind watching him as well." Spencer started towards the elevator again. He turned back as the doors were shutting and saw Morgan going up towards Aaron's office. He had wanted to hear the answer to his question, but it seemed that there were a lot of issues that he wasn't aware of. Maybe before Henry got there he needed to read some of the letters that Diana had wrote back to Spencer to try and get an understanding of what was going on.

After getting home, it wasn't long before he had everything that was anything important put away. He made sure the various bits of technology were put in the bedroom. He also made a list of things to have delivered from the store. It was a place he was coming to like more and more as the young man who delivered the groceries was a nice and intelligent young man who took night classes. Spencer had been making sure that he got a good tip from him.

As he cleaned up the breakfast plate and cup from that morning, Spencer thought about what he wanted to do with Henry. His head was full of what he used to do with his Jack. He'd start with some of the more sedate things and move on to either slower or faster things. There was little more for him to do so he went back to the bedroom and grabbed the tablet. He settled in on the couch and tried to find out anything he could about JJ's posting to the State Department. There was little with her name attached for the year she worked there. That was strange. She was a media liaison. If she was working within the states, there would be a trail. So he researched what was going on in the world at the time. The biggest things were happening in Afghanistan. He checked over every single bit of media coming from there, but still no Jennifer Jareau.

Spencer went to the less legal means of getting information. He found no information on her over the first half an hour of looking, but then he found a picture. He was shocked to see Mateo Cruz in it. That started a separate search for him on the Internet as well as a deeper look into why Mateo and JJ were in Afghanistan along with a slew of other people. He recognized Michael Hastings from the trial that he and Tivon Askari had been part of. He started to search for more information on the both of them. Hastings was dead, killed around the same time that JJ came back to the team. Another picture showed JJ and Strauss along with Hastings. Spencer started a deeper research into Hastings on the dark net and found a whole slew of bad things that he was into. And not all of them stopped when he died. Then there was a small, cleverly hidden area that he hacked into that showed him alive after his supposed death. And one of the pictures of him was in front of a restaurant that Spencer knew well from New York. He started to compile it all and stripped every bit of tracking information from it and then emailed it to the CIA.

One of the last pictures that he found was JJ laying on her bed in the tent where she had been taken after the attack that had supposedly killed Hastings. He settled in and did a little more research. The amount of information that was floating around the the dark net about those operations was massive. One just had to know how to find it all, and that was where the American Government and her agencies had the issue. The casualty report for that attack didn't give any name for each injury, but given that there was only a single woman in the attack, and a miscarriage was listed, Spencer knew that JJ had been pregnant.

There was a knock on the door to his apartment, so Spencer logged out of the darknet and closed it all down, wiping every single trace with a single set of codes. He slipped the tablet onto the table and moved to the door. He looked out the peephole to see that it was JJ.

"Jayje," Spencer said as he opened the door. Henry was on the ground and he smiled up at Spencer's voice. He took a few quick steps towards Spencer and held out his hands. Spencer scooped him up and hugged him. Henry's arms went around Spencer's neck and held on.

"Someone is very happy to be spending the weekend with Uncle Spencer. After I got home, that was all I heard. That he was going to Uncle Spencer's." JJ stepped inside the apartment with a smile on her face. She had two bags slung over her shoulders.

"That's good. I'm looking forward to it as well. Henry, do you want to go look at my office?" Spencer asked. He let the boy down and as soon as his feet hit the floor, he was off towards the back of the apartment.

"What did you do?"

"I bought a loveseat for my office. It pulls out into a half bed, perfect for little boys who don't need to sleep on the floor anymore on a pile of blankets."

JJ leaned in and kissed his cheek. Her thumb rubbed at the lipstick left behind. "Don't let Morgan and Garcia get to you. You are a perfect caregiver for kids. I shudder to think about what Morgan would do if watching Henry all weekend long."

"Thanks."

"I just..." JJ looked unsure as she kind of looked around the apartment. "I know that you had been spending some time outside of work with Hotch, but I hadn't realized that it was enough that he'd leave Jack with you. Rossi was a little worried about that after you left. That none of us knew."

"Hotch and I are private. You know that." Spencer looked at her and something must have crossed his face that had her smiling.

"I know exactly how private you are, and I know that Rossi trying to get Hotch to call back and invite that runner out on a date fizzled. Does that have anything to do with a certain genius who one morning had a love bite right where his tie usually sat, and I watched you fiddle with it several times over the course of the day?"

"And if I plead the fifth?" Spencer wasn't worried about her knowing. He actually figured the other Spencer would have told her before now. He just needed to keep it all underwraps. The more that knew, the more chances of him doing something wrong.

"You don't ever do that. Also, Hotch left his tie clip here." JJ pointed at the book shelf by the door. Spencer looked at the item he remembered setting there to help remind him to take to Aaron the next time he went over there. "He never takes clips off, even during caes, unless he takes his tie off. So for him to take his tie off here means that he was probably settling in. So how long on this?"

"We danced around it for a while. But our first date was supposed to be the night of the lab explosion. We postponed it to the next night. I've enjoyed not having others in the relationship. Eyes watching."

"I know that well. I kept Will a secret for a year. You've been happier, more settled since then." JJ smiled at him as Henry came running in clutching a stuffed Vulpix.

"Mine, Uncle Pence?" Henry asked.

"Yes, Hen. Yours."

Henry motioned to be picked up and Spencer did. He easily settled the boy in at his hip, holding him like he used to do Jack. JJ leaned in and kissed his cheek.

"Be good for Spencer, Henry."

"I will, Mama." Henry laid his head on Spencer's shoulder and waved goodbye. "Go!"

JJ laughed and dropped the two bags down onto the floor just inside the door. She kissed Spencer's cheek then left. Spencer shut the door, turning his face towards Henry.

"What do you want for dinner?"

"Chicken nuggets?" Henry asked.

"Sure." Spencer moved and grabbed the list he had made. They would just run to the store. "Do you want to bring Vulpix with you to the store?"

"Yes."

Spencer moved to the door grabbing his wallet and keys as he passed. He slipped both into his pocket after locking the door. Henry was content in his arms, but once they got to the store, he'd shift him to his shoulders.

"Walking?" Henry asked once they turned around a corner towards the street the store was on.

"Yep. It's a nice day out. We can walk and get enough food for tonight and breakfast, and then tomorrow morning we can pick what we want to eat for lunch and dinner, and walk and get food again. Maybe go to the park before?" The memories were strong of his Jack being that age. How adorable he had been and how happy and carefree. When they had discussed in vitro or possibly adopting, both him and Aaron had agreed that no matter what came, Jack's childhood was going to be nothing like either one of them had. Jack had grown up certain that his fathers loved him. He'd known that doing something wrong would get him in trouble, but he never feared punishment. Jack had learned that doing something bad wasn't worth the feeling that both of his father's were upset with him. Much like Spencer, Jack disliked knowing that Aaron was upset with him.

"Yes, please. Pancakes?"

"Sure. Chocolate chip or blueberry?"

"Buberry," Henry said after thirty three seconds of thinking.

"Blue-berry," Spencer said slowly and putting a harder enunciation on the word blue.

"Blueberry," Henry repeated.

"Yeah, buddy. Blueberry."

Henry cheered and raised his hands up in celebration. Spencer was ready and waiting for the high five that he was sure was going to come and when the little palm was held up, Spencer smashed their hands together. An older man held the door to the store open as Spencer approached. He tipped his head in thanks and smiled at him. The man tipped his hat back at him.

"Do you want to ride in a cart or on my shoulders?" Spencer asked as he looked at the carts that were there. He could tell they were old and beaten but well maintained. He selected one. Henry was still there tucked into his side. He looked at the cart and then up at Spencer's face.

"Can I change my mind?"

"Once."

"Cart."

"Okay." Spencer grabbed an antibacterial wipe and cleaned the area of the cart that Henry would be touching before also wiping at the palms of his own hands. He tossed the wipe in the trash can by where he got the wipe and turned back to Henry. Spencer started towards the produce. He found a few pints of blueberries that he liked. He slipped those into the cart. "Do you like green beans?"

"Yum!" Henry said as he rubbed at his belly.

Spencer laughed and picked through the fresh green beans. He'd seen a steamer in the cabinets and it looked to have been used a good bit.

"Squash? Zucchini?" Spencer held them up and Henry kind of looked at them with his head cocked to the side. The boy shrugged. "Will you try them?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Corn?" Spencer knew that he could throw that into the microwave quickly if Henry didn't like the squash or the zucchini.

"Yes, please." Henry was eyeing the ears of corn so Spencer grabbed several and slipped them into a bag after checking to see if the ears were good. He'd shuck them at the house when he cooked them.

"I need to get a few other things and then we'll go and pick out some chicken nuggets. How does that sound?"

"Uh huh." Henry bobbed his head up and down. Spencer grabbed a few peaches and then went to the cereal aisle finding a few things that he liked that the kids would eat as well. He stopped by dairy and grabbed a selection of block cheese as well as a gallon of milk. He'd found the powdered milk in the cabinet, and he knew why Spencer had bought it. It made sense from a standpoint of getting in so late at night, and crashing, and then getting up and wanting cereal. It was probably a leftover from his college days. Spencer had used the small packets a few times to make himself just enough if he ran out midweek, and he was sure a case was coming up.

A few more things scattered around the store and then they were in the frozen section. He found the section with the potatoes first and grabbed a bag of crinkle cut fries as well as sweet potato fries for himself before moving down to the chicken.

"Dinos, please Uncle Spencer." Henry was pointing at a bag that did have a few dinosaurs scattered on it. He picked up the bag and saw that nuggets were in generic dinosaur shapes. It would do them that night and possibly for Sunday lunch as well so he put it in the cart. He found a bag of chicken tenders for himself that were slightly spicy.

The next aisle over was the ice cream aisle and Spencer let Henry pick a single little pint of ice cream for himself while Spencer picked one for Jack. After those he grabbed fruit bars for little treats for them all.

"Home?"

"Yeah, buddy, home now. Then I'll start your dinos and my tenders and we can try and find something to watch."

"Dinos!" Henry said just a touch louder than normal. The entire section of dinosaur movies and documentaries made a lot of sense then. It actually made a lot of sense for the underwater documentaries as well. Turn on the TV, mute it, and out like a light for a kid. Spencer had done something like it for colicky Jack. Only his was animals.

"Of course. Must have the dinosaurs."

Henry giggled but stopped suddenly, ducking his head down. Spencer looked behind him and saw a lady was wiggling her fingers at him.

"I'm sorry but your son is just too cute," the lady said when she saw Spencer looking at her.

"He's my Godson but thank you." Spencer turned back to Henry who was looking up at him. "Ready to check out?"

"Can I get that?" Henry asked pointing at a dinosaur coloring book.

"Sure. Let's go get some crayons before we leave a well."

Spencer looked up at the signs for each aisle and found the one that had toys written on it. He turned the cart that way after snagging the coloring book. He found a box of assorted colored large crayons and small ones, grabbing one of each. He knew that Jack liked Pokémon and superheroes so he hoped to find one of either one for him. He had to sort through the small section of coloring books before he found one of superheroes. On the shelf above was an even smaller selection of what looked like adult coloring books. Spencer saw one of mandalas and grabbed it as well as the large pack of colored pencils beside it. He'd enjoy coloring with the kids.

Checking out took little time at all, and Spencer loaded most of the groceries into one of the reusable bags that he bought. He had bought a second smaller one that with a few lighter items in it was perfect for Henry to carry. Henry wanted to walk so Spencer had him hold onto his pants pocket as they walked. On the walk back there were more people about, so Spencer kept Henry between him and the buildings.

Spencer heard his phone go off. It was a text from Aaron. He ignored it for the moment. It could wait until he got the groceries put up. Henry ran ahead a few steps to hold open the door for him. Spencer smiled at the toddler. He was adorable. To the stairs he went, but waited to start up the next landing until Spencer could see him. Spencer wasn't shocked at the lessons the boy seemed to have had. Henry didn't even get off the top step until Spencer was right there behind him. As soon as Spencer had the door open, Henry was inside and moving towards the kitchen. He pulled out a chair and set his bag on it, diving inside for the fruit and setting it on top of the table.

"Where go bag?" Henry asked when he was done. Spencer smiled at him and opened up the drawer he had seen a few other reusable bags in. Henry slipped his in there while Spencer put up the frozen food that they weren't going to use. Henry helped pull out the cold stuff from Spencer's bag and set them beside the fruit he'd pulled from his own. Spencer started to put those away next. The boxed food was last.

Spencer turned on the oven while he looked at Henry to try and figure out exactly how much he would eat. The portions of fries and chicken were laid on the cookie sheet that he lined with foil, while Henry flipped through the channels on the TV. It was a smart TV that had programmable profiles and Spencer had been shocked that when he went into it, there was one for Jack already set up. He was glad he'd forced Aaron to confront why he was keeping Jack from the other Spencer because coming back to this world and finding himself cut off from a boy that the other Spencer was coming to love would have sent him into a spiral.

When the food was in the oven, Spencer settled in at the couch. Henry was watching the TV enraptured by a documentary on tornados. There was no way he was understanding most of the words but the destruction on the TV was awe worthy. Spencer just watched the boy more than he paid attention to his tablet where he was trying to do some work on Spencer's schoolwork. He was looking forward to the next day with Henry.

* * *

Henry was happily coloring in his book while Spencer fixed the macaroni and cheese that they were going to eat for dinner. Aaron and Jack were going to be there in the next ten minutes. Spencer wasn't sure if Aaron would be upset about telling JJ, but he didn't really care. Aaron had Jessica, Spencer had JJ. Still the anger at not being asked could have him taking Jack home.

Spencer shoved the casserole dish inside the oven and stepped back. He leaned into the counter and surveyed the apartment. The other Spencer was just settled there. He wasn't exactly happy. There were no pictures outside of the small office. There was nothing of permanence here. In the office was the file with all of the leases. One had not been signed for when he was out in just two months yet all of the other leases were signed months before the lease was up. Spencer hadn't planned to stay in the apartment. Yet there was no evidence anywhere that he was looking for one. No searches, no listings, no realtor helping him. A quick check with listings had the apartment having been listed as available in a little over two months for several months.

There was no way to change that and there was sure as hell no way that Spencer was going to be able to figure out what exactly the other Spencer's plan was. He had to make a choice that he hoped the other Spencer could live with. But, all of that was to come later. For the moment, Spencer had already found a nice storage facility that the books would do well in and he'd start to move things into it the following weekend.

The knock on the front door shocked Spencer, he looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was time for Aaron and Jack to arrive. He moved to the door and opened it. Jack was standing in front of his father with a giant smile on his face. On his back was a backpack. Spencer stepped back to allow them into the apartment. Aaron though did not step all the way in. Spencer cocked an eyebrow at him.

Aaron though didn't see it. Instead, his eyes were on Jack. "Be good, Jack."

"I will, Dad." Jack slipped off his backpack and laid it against the back of the couch before he came back and hugged at his father's knees for a few seconds before the older man started to crouch to give him a proper hug. Aaron was going to leave. Spencer frowned. He'd been looking forward to a sleepover as well. It had been all week, and he hadn't got a chance to sleep in the same bed as his lover. He was missing touch. He was missing being held. Jack turned away from his father. "Hi, Henry."

The two boys started to talk about the dinosaur on the page that Henry was coloring, Jack knowing more about dinosaurs than Henry started to talk about where it lived and other things.

"He's been looking forward to this since I told him yesterday. That's all I heard all day long. How long until he gets to go to Spencer's." Aaron's eyes tracked to the kids and then back to Spencer quickly. He pulled Spencer into the hallway to kiss him. Spencer moaned into the kiss, snaking his tongue out to lick at Aaron's lips before pushing in-between them. Aaron cupped his face, turning it to the side so he could deepen the kiss even more.

"Uncle Spencer?" Henry asked.

Aaron pulled back and looked down to see Henry standing there in the doorway with the door open but he wasn't out in the hall.

"Yes, Hen?" Spencer asked.

"I'm thirsty."

"Your glass of water is still on the chair in the kitchen," Spencer replied. Henry smiled up at him before he was gone from sight.

"He's going to tell JJ. Dammit." Aaron looked upset.

"Actually, JJ knows."

"What?" Aaron looked at him. There wasn't anger there, but there was something. An unreadable emotion. Spencer catalogued what it would look like on someone else's face and figured out it was fear.

"She saw your tie pin where I had laid it to take to your place the next time I went over. It wasn't hard for her to figure out that it meant that you were here for long enough to want to take off your suit as well being comfortable enough for it. Coupled with that bruise you sucked into where I wear my tie...She's worked with profilers for long enough to pick up on it all. I wasn't going to lie to her."

"And I don't expect you to. I just...I'm a little shocked. We'd always discussed who would figure it out first. I didn't think that it would be JJ."

"Why? She's close to me. Anything out of the ordinary would be noticeable. Like not getting my Godson for day trips and things..." Spencer trailed off and Aaron nodded.

"I know. I know I just...Is it wrong that I wanted to keep it secret longer so that I didn't have to share you. With the knowledge that we are dating out in the team, we would be expected to go to things more, together and while I don't mind a dinner, I don't want to share my time with you."

Spencer leaned in and kissed him. Aaron kissed him back gently, nothing like what they had been doing just minutes before.

"Maybe this weekend is a good thing. You get a little more bonding time with Jack without me around and Jack's talked about wanting to see Henry for a while now just with cases, we've not done anything with JJ and Will in a while. Maybe we can do a meal or something at their house, as a couple."

Spencer knew that he shouldn't have been shocked at the turn around from not wanting to share to basically doing a double date. "You aren't going to stay tonight are you?"

"No. You need this."

"But I miss being in bed with you. I miss it so much." Spencer walked his fingers down Aaron's chest. He'd never had to talk Aaron into anything, sexual or intimate. It was a new experience. It was also going to work in his favor to help with Aaron's love. The man was perfect for his machinations. Spencer splayed his hand on Aaron's stomach right above his belt, curling his fingers just enough for the other man to feel it. The sharp intake of breath was totally worth it.

"How about Sunday? I can stay here or we can go home to mine."

Spencer's lips curled a little at Aaron calling his apartment home. His plans were going good. "That will work. We can pack up and have a sleepover at yours."

"You'd tempt a saint, Spencer Reid. Let me say goodbye to Jack and then I'll be out of your hair." Aaron bussed a kiss across his forehead as he moved into the apartment. Spencer listened to Aaron say his goodbyes to his son and even Henry before stepping towards the door of the apartment. Spencer leaned his back into the doorjamb. Aaron would have to turn to the side to get out the door without bumping him. Aaron eyed him as he got close. The older man turned to the side and grabbed Spencer's hands as he raised them up. "Ah, ah, ah."

Aaron kissed him hard on the lips, keeping a hold of his hands and keeping them away from his body. Spencer was pressed back, hard, into the doorjamb and by the time that Aaron pulled back from him, he felt owned.

"We can pick this up tomorrow. I expect that you'll remember where we left off?"

"Yes," Spencer said breathlessly. Aaron though just stepped away from him and started down the stairs that would take him out. After the dark haired man was gone from sight, Spencer turned to go inside. Jack had found his coloring book and his crayons and was coloring. "How does my baked macaroni and cheese sound for dinner Jack?"

"Yummy."

The evening was tranquil. The three of them ate dinner and watched a new dinosaur documentary. The boys were hyper though so Spencer talked them into playing a game of hide and seek. He stayed on the couch while they took turns finding each other. The only room that was off limits was the same one that always was, the office. Given that Henry had not gone in there except when Spencer told him he was allowed, he figured that it was always off limits. The chatter of the boys and the squeals when they found each other was hilarious. Spencer watched them when they were in the living room, but would work on school work when they weren't. It was nearing the time for them to settle down so they could actually sleep.

"Spencer?" Henry asked as he stepped up to him.

"Yes?" Spencer set down his tablet. Henry looked really unsure of himself.

"No Jack."

"You can't find him?"

"No."

"Hmm." Spencer stood up and looked around the kitchen. Jack hadn't hid in the living room for that round, and it wasn't hard to figure out he wasn't in the kitchen. Spencer checked the closets in the hall as well as his bedroom and bathroom before he even thought about the office. Spencer opened the door and Henry stayed back out of the room. It didn't take long for Spencer to hear Jack's subtle breathing.

"Jack Tyler Hotchner, come out this instant." Spencer used his hard voice, but he made sure to have no anger in it at all. Aaron and he had never used anger with their Jack and he wasn't going to start with this one. The only time that Jack had ever heard anger in their voices was when they were mad at someone else generally someone who tried to hurt Spencer or Jack.

"Yes, Spencer." Jack stood up from behind the arm of the couch and looked at Spencer.

"Living room now. Sit in one of the chairs."

"Yes, Spencer." Jack moved out of the room at a pace that was meant to not make him mad by running too fast nor mad for moving too slow. When Jack was out of the room, Spencer followed, picking up Henry in his arms as he did. He set Henry down in the kitchen and gave him one of the fruit bars. They had been a treat after finishing lunch and he was going to give them each one to eat while they settled down but now Jack wasn't going to get one.

After he was sure that Henry was settled down, Spencer moved to the living room. He stopped as he took in the sight of Jack in the chair. This boy was far from his son. He could read the lines of fear in the way he was sitting and trying to make himself as small in the chair. His eyes were downcast. That was interesting in not a good way. Spencer sat down in the chair across from Jack.

"You knew not to go in there unless it's bedtime, Jack. Why did you go in there?"

"I'm sorry. I know that I shouldn't have done it. I am so sorry Spencer. I got bored with hiding in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom. I opened the door and still went in even though I knew that I shouldn't have." Jack didn't look up at him at all.

"Come here, Jack." Spencer kept his hands in his lap as the boy scooted out of his chair and walked towards Spencer like he was afraid of getting hit. Jack stopped in front of him and stood there, slightly shivering. "You knew what you did was wrong and you did it anyway. That means you take what punishment I give you."

"Yes, Spencer."

"Look up at me Jack." Spencer waited for the boy to raise his head and look at him before he continued. "You are going to sit in this chair right here for fifteen minutes. I want your knees tucked up against your chest and your arms wrapped around them. Don't get off the chair at all."

"Yes, Spencer."

Spencer stood up from the chair and Jack scrambled into it. As Spencer moved away Jack's eyes followed him, almost looking shocked that it was it. He knew that Aaron didn't raise his hand to Jack, not in that way. He seriously doubted that the two Aaron's were that different. So where was the fear coming from? Jack's eyes never left him as he moved around the room. Henry stayed in the kitchen eating his fruit bar before he moved into the living room. Spencer took a seat on the couch with a wipe to take care of his sticky face and hands.

"You didn't get too messy at all. Do you want to go and take a bath now or when Jack is done with timeout?"

Henry looked at Jack and then back at Spencer. "With Jack."

"Then you can color until he's done."

"Okay, Spencer." Henry settled in at the coffee table and started to color. Spencer though watched Jack who as soon Spencer looked at him, he looked away. After a few minutes of it, Spencer went back to his school work and kept his eye on the time. At fifteen minutes, he set aside the tablet and caught Jack's eye.

"Come here, Jack." Spencer watched as Jack uncurled himself and moved over to Spencer. Jack crawled up onto the couch and to Spencer's surprise into his lap. Spencer wrapped his arms around him and held him close. "Why were you so scared?"

"I've never seen you mad and a few of the parents at school get really scary and I didn't know what to expect. I got scared."

"I'd never hurt you. I won't raise my voice unless you scare me. I can't promise that if you are doing something dangerous I can't say that I wouldn't grab you to stop you from doing it."

"Like the time I jumped up onto a wall and walked on it and Dad pulled me off. He kind of hurt my arm."

"Like that, yes."

"Dad was so upset, but it didn't even bruise and I think he was more scared than me." Jack snuggled down into Spencer's arms.

"Why don't we go and get you two clean then we can watch some TV?"

"Yeah," Jack said.

* * *

When JJ came to pick up Jack, Henry and Jack were both taking a nap.

"Did he do okay?"

"Henry was a breeze. Jack and I had a hiccup, but I think it worked out for the best. Jack took a nap with Henry because he was tired. I think that Jack knew that if he didn't, Henry wasn't going to and well...Jack's a good boy and he wants to be helpful. He was out like a light."

"How long have they been down?"

"Just half an hour. Do you want me to go get Henry?"

"No. I wanted to talk you about Hotch."

"Jayje," Spencer said making himself blush. He turned away a little and ducked his head.

"You made me think that you were still upset about Emily's faked death, but instead you were out there wooing a Hotch."

"I got over it JJ. I got over Emily but you...there is something different about you." Spencer waited to see what she would do. She looked at him and sighed.

Spencer listened for two hours as JJ told her entire story, telling him that if he ever told anyone what she told him that they could both go to jail. He listened to the entire story and none of it made any sense. Why would the DOJ want her there?

Even hours later, after Aaron and he had showered and were laying down in bed, it was the one single thought that stopped him from sleeping. The only thing that allowed him to actually sleep was the fact that the shadows in JJ's eyes were less when she had left with Henry in tow.

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked as he pulled Spencer even closer to his chest.

"Having trouble shutting my brain off."

"I think I have something that can shut your brain off."

Spencer expected Aaron to try something sexual but instead he wrapped his arm around Spencer's chest tightly and started to speak softly in his ear. Poetry was Spencer's weakness. He closed his eyes and made his brain focus on Aaron's words. Slowly, Spencer drifted off

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Sitting at his desk Spencer was working on updating his and Aaron’s calendars. He noticed that there were a few papers to be presented coming up, as well as finals for the Anthropology classes Spencer had been taking. It was lucky that it was one of his minors, and he already had a good background in the subject, which easily let him keep up with the class. There were several papers due he had to request a deferment for because he wasn’t up on the research. He wanted to find his counterparts research materials to try to figure out where he was on them before he even attempted to finish them off.

A couple of new cases had come across Aaron’s desk, one in which they were defending fiercely, and the other, Aaron appeared to be a little lax on. He input the dates for the depositions and follow-up interviews for both cases, and knew a woman was coming in later that day to talk about her custody case. They were just as busy as ever, but there was something bothering Spencer about the dates, something important he knew he should remember, but it just wasn’t coming. Sighing, he shook his head and went back to work, knowing that eventually he would remember what it was.

“Spencer, pencil in a dinner with a Kate Callahan. She wants to meet with us, has some information that she thinks we would be interested in hearing.”

Spencer had a vague recollection of a Kate Callahan that worked in the FBI. They had consulted with her department on a child exploitation ring, but it was a couple of years prior, and Spencer hadn’t gotten to know her very well. He only knew her through name and reputation.

“Okay, Do you know what she wants?”

“Something to do with someone close to me. I have my suspicions, but I’ll wait till we meet. Tonight for 8:30 at _Le Pece Mortel_.”

Spencer was no longer surprised at the places Aaron could get into at a moment's notice. One phone call, a dropped name, and it was all Spencer could do to keep anyone from bending backwards to accommodate Aaron. It was a world he was still navigating, but had to admit, if only to himself, he was fascinated by.

After he was done he copied the calendar to his and Aaron’s phones, then shut it down and got back to work on other things. He actually found the work intriguing. He rarely got to see this side of things after a case was finished. While it was part of the job that they often had to testify, he never really got this in-depth of a look before, and it gave him a little perspective. He knew that his Aaron knew this side of their cases, having been a prosecutor. Sometimes they talked about it during lunches or team dinners, but it made Spencer realize why Aaron was such a stickler for making sure the chain of evidence was pure and their profiles were spot on. Why he’d get upset at Gideon for sometimes breaking some of the rules. If the evidence was compromised, suspects would go free to kill again.

Thinking about Gideon had Spencer’s thoughts going to the man that was a prisoner in Aaron’s house. He knew he should feel guilty for being complicit in Gideon’s illegal imprisonment. There was that part of him, though, that was still so very angry at his mentor for how he had just disappeared, for not helping him, for backing away when Spencer needed him the most. Sitting back he scrubbed his face and tried to put thoughts of Gideon out of his mind. Though, deep down, he knew he’d be back down there, sitting in front of that glass prison, watching the man, trying to build up the courage to tell him what he really thought of him.

He again tried to push those thoughts out of his mind as he went back to work. When six o’clock rolled around, he and Aaron left the office so they could get ready for their meet with Callahan. Spencer was curious, he wasn’t sure what the woman wanted, or what her connection to them was. He dressed in what Aaron picked for him, then spent a few minutes with Jack reading together before they had to leave.

It didn’t take long to get to the restaurant and were led to a private room. A bottle of wine and appetizers were already there waiting for them.

“Do you know anything about this woman Aaron?” Spencer asked as he slid into his seat and was handed a glass of the wine Aaron poured for them.

“She’s FBI. Special Investigations. I’m very curious to know what she has to say. I know her sister was killed in the 9/11 attacks and she adopted her sister’s child. Her husband was killed the same day when the third plane had decimated the Pentagon. He was working as an analyst for the NSA at the time. They had not been married very long when he was killed.

“She has an impressive clear rate, is intelligent, has money that she’s invested well from her husband’s insurance as well as her sister’s. She’s risen fairly quickly to Supervisory Special Agent, and is considered for next in-line if her Unit Chief were to take early retirement. If she plays her cards right, she could have her own Unit inside of a year.”

“You seem to know all about me Mr. Hotchner.” The woman smiled as she was shown into the room by the Maitre ‘D. “And, from what I could dig up I probably know as much about you. An IQ vastly above what is reported, you like to keep it on the down low because you like to flaunt your partner’s 187 IQ. Head of your law firm, you have your hands in several different pies. Most notably Grimes Tech. where you have almost a controlling interest. You and Dr. Reid here aren’t shy about your relationship, even going so far as to flaunt your BDSM lifestyle.

“You’ve become the darlings of not only DC society, but have turned the heads of many foreign dignitaries. You garner much praise wherever you go. Give vast amounts of money to several charities, and you and Mr. Grimes sponsor several scholarships that cater mostly to the sciences. Seen as the most influential savior of the US after the 9/11 attacks. You even went so far as to host several fundraisers at your own mansion to help fund the rebuilding of the White House and the Pentagon. You swooped in pretty quickly to help our government get back on it’s feet, but have never taken a seat yourself. You have a son you adore and more money than God. And I know that George Foyet has an obsession with you and what he believes to be your illegal activities.

“Now, it would have technically come under my department, not the BAU’s. So, I’m here to trade information.”

Aaron watched the woman with cold, calculating eyes and Spencer couldn’t help but be a little impressed with her.

“And just what kind of information are you looking for Agent Callahan?” Aaron narrowed his eyes as she sat and poured herself a glass of wine, took a sip and smiled at him.

“What it is you’re really doing up there in our Capital? I’m not stupid Mr. Hotchner. I know some of our newer laws didn’t get passed without a few bribes and palms being greased. I know that you are a highly functioning psychopath. Though you do love your partner, maybe even an obsessional love, but it’s there. If you had never latched onto him it wouldn’t matter, you’d probably be exactly the same. See, I’ve been watching you for a long time. I can’t prove anything, but I know you and your partner have killed. And I’m sure if I were to dig as deep as I could, I wouldn’t find one single scrap of evidence. So, let’s cut the crap right away, shall we?’

Aaron threw back his head and laughed a genuine full body laugh. Spencer just shook his head. He knew why his Aaron had admired Kate so well in his world. She was far from stupid.

“You are a refreshing surprise Agent. And you are right, you won’t find any evidence, and even if people talk, which who doesn’t on the Capital, I can easily deny anything and I would be believed. So, what do you really want to know?” Aaron grinned dangerously, but Kate didn’t seemed moved at all.

“Look, I can’t say that I agree with your methods, and if you were working against the greater good of this country, I’d be all up in your business. But, after the attacks, and no one was doing anything constructive, because they had no clue where to start, you helped rally us. You kept us from sinking into a war that would have wrecked this country financially and emotionally. I’m not saying things are perfect, but you got people to listen. I don’t give a rat’s ass if it’s lined your own pockets, and that’s all you care about, the fact is you cared just enough to keep us going. To put the right people in the right places.

“What I want to know is if it was you that was responsible for the deaths of Foyet’s first team, and for the recent disappearance of Agent Michaels.”

Aaron looked at her long and hard before he asked his next question.

“How do I know I can trust you?”

“You have a mole in your house Mr. Hotchner, and I know who it is. I give it to you freely. I also know who keeps stalling the 83241-B initiative. For the record, I want to see it passed.” Pain flitted over Kate’s face and Spencer watched as Aaron’s eye narrowed. He moved forward as he watched her. Spencer just raised a brow and thought yet again how good this Aaron was at reading people.

“Something happened to you, didn’t it?”

Kate put down her wineglass and looked down at her plate before letting out the breath she was holding.

“My best friend. When we were kids I knew something was off, but didn’t really understand it. Tiffany was a sweet girl. Then, she started to retreat further and further inside herself. I tried to get her to tell me what was going on, but she would just cry. She ended up killing herself and left me a letter. He father was sexually abusing her, and I stood by and did nothing.”

“You were a kid yourself Kate. What could you have done?” Spencer asked her as he lifted his wine to take a sip.

“Get her to talk, to open up to me. I don’t know, something. I want to see your initiative go through. I want to see these people punished harshly for what they do. And, I want to see mother’s that turn a blind eye punished as well. Tiffany’s mother admitted she knew what was going on, she knew and she did nothing. She even blamed her own daughter for her husband not wanting to be with her anymore. I was sickened, it took me a long time to put myself back together after her death. I know you have your own reasons for the initiative, you don’t do anything unless it somehow directly affects you. I honestly, don’t care why you created it. You get results and I want to help.”

Aaron regarded her for a moment as he filed all this information away to check on at a later date.

“Stand-up and take off your jacket and shirt, empty your pockets, and your purse. If you have a wire or recording device, this dinner if over. I want to trust you, want to trust what you’re saying, but you have to understand why I don’t.”

Kate smiled as she stood-up and emptied her purse, then handed it over to Aaron to check for himself. She dug into her pockets, and even pulled them out to show that there was nothing there. She stripped off her jacket and shirt and Aaron checked both, he even checked her bra. She smirked as he unceremoniously checked the underwire. The purse was also thoroughly checked, though it was now ruined, but Spencer knew he wasn’t taking any chances.

Aaron sat back down and tapped his fingers on the table.

“Alright, but if I find you’ve lied to me in anyway, I can ruin you. You must understand that right off the bat. I don’t trust those I work with easily.”

“Oh I know. But, I want this initiative to pass. I want to see anyone who covers-up abuse like this, no matter who they are, to get punished. Teachers, cops, doctors, priests, even lawyers who cover it up. I want to make it so that it is so difficult for them to hide. I want to make it not worth anyone’s while to keep covering this up. Someone should have stood up for my friend, and no one did, and she killed herself. She was only thirteen years old.”

Aaron took his time in answering her. His gut instinct was to believe her, trust her, but he also knew ways to shut her up if she betrayed him in any way, and he knew that she knew it. He picked up his wine and took a long sip, then carefully set it down.

“Yes. I had Foyet’s team killed. They were interfering too much, that’s all you’re getting for now.”

“Good. Agent Bowers was the cop that Tiffany had gone to for help. When he told her she was a lying little whore, that no one would believe her, that’s when she took her life. Because if a cop didn’t believe her, who would?”

Aaron just chuckled and shook his head.

“You’re ruthless. This just may work to both of our advantages. What is it you ultimately want Agent Callahan?”

“Please, if we are going to work together, call me Kate. And what I want? I want the BAU. I want what it was supposed to be. I want to go back to what Gideon and Rossi started, not this shell that they both left in the hands of a corrupt agent. But, I can’t do that with Foyet in my way.”

“Then we have a common enemy.”

“As to your mole, it's Emily Prentiss. She’s on orders from her mother. Senator Prentiss is part of the block to your initiative. As well as Senator’s Ryan, Wellington, and Grieves. You get to them, your initiative will go through.”

“And how do you know all of this information Kate?”

The woman smirked as she leaned forward on the table, “I have my sources Mr. Hotchner, as you have yours.”

Aaron picked-up his wine glass and grinned. Spencer filed away all the information thrown around knowing Aaron was going to want him to delve deep into Kate Callahan’s life, especially everything he could find out about her friend. He was quiet through the dinner, his mind processing, but from her body language and steady eye contact he determined that she was genuine. She didn’t blink, or fidget. She looked Aaron straight on and didn’t lower her eyes once. Her pulse stayed even, Spencer was cautiously convinced that she could be trusted.

The meal ended and a tentative alliance was made. As they were driving back home Aaron turned to him.

“What did you think?”

“I think she can be trusted. She was genuine, she wasn’t lying, or if she was she had a better poker face than I do.”

“I agree. I will still proceed with caution. Even if she somehow had a recording device, it would be easy for Garcia to dig into and find. I’m going to bring her into the mansion. We have a lot of work we need to do. How are the experiments coming along? You haven’t talked about your side project lately.”

Spencer closed his eyes and laid his head back against the car seat trying not to show his frustration.

“Not well. We aren’t even close and I don’t know why. It’s been weeks and nothing is working. Every time, obviously, it’s a failure. I know there is a key piece to the whole puzzle I’m missing, but I just don’t know what it is.”

Aaron was silent as he gripped the steering wheel. He heard near defeat in Spencer’s voice and it was tearing him apart. He was going to lose one of them, he knew it, down to his very core he knew it, he just didn’t know which one. The one who was his perfect mate, or the one that was still a canvas, still learning and becoming more. It was going to hurt and hurt like hell, but he could only have one. He had to keep Spencer going, keep him trying no matter how long it took.

* * *

Aaron was in his office at home doing some work before he spent time with Spencer and Jack. They had movies and popcorn on the agenda. The knock he had been expecting came right on time. He set his work aside and moved to open the door letting Emily in. He shut the door behind her, smiling at her nervousness.

He had Kate’s report on Foyet trying to manufacture evidence against him in regards to a Judge that had been killed. The Judge had been in his pocket, but he had no reason to kill him. Fortunately, Aaron had nothing to do with it. The Judge was killed by a distraught father whose son had been a victim of a serial killer. The Judge gave an unusually light sentence to the killer, citing they only had evidence, and the killer’s confession for two of the crimes. Though, Aaron knew for a fact there was more. Spencer had looked into the case and even sent in a consult to the FBI. He had been ignored, and the evidence for the other crimes became compromised.

Judge Evans gave the man only twenty-five years, when he should have gotten life. Aaron felt no remorse for the man, in fact he figured that someone paid him off for the lighter sentence. He had Derek and Garcia digging and when he found out who it was, they would be dealt with. All of this was going through his mind as he sat there looking over the reports, making Emily wait.

“You’re a spy. In fact, you’ve been spying since the moment you entered my home. I’m not stupid Emily and whatever your mother is up to, it stops now.” Aaron set the files aside and glared at the woman across from him.

Emily sat with her hands in her lap and chuckled.

“I told my mother that it wouldn’t fool you. So, you’ve known since the beginning. You’ve let me in, let me train Jack, help with some of your...activities. Why did you trust me?”

“Because you care for Jack. Something changed. You became less committed to actually finding any dirt on me, which you wouldn’t have. You’re smart enough to know what I’m about, but you haven’t made a move.”

“It’s true. When I first came here it was to dig up something on you. Everything about you was just too good to be true. You don’t hide from those most loyal to you, they know what you’re about. I can’t say what you do is right, but the truth is the outcomes are what is right. We’ve come farther in the last ten years as a country than we have ever had. I may not like your methods but the results help everyone.”

“It’s not all altruistic.”

“Oh, you’re an unashamed psychopath. I get that, but I won’t be a part of stopping you. Not when what you do makes a strange kind of sense. And to be honest, I hate politics. I’ve seen what it does to good people. How it corrupts. its funny, you’re as manipulative as they come, but you’re honest in your corruption. You play up the media and you and Reid are everyone’s darlings. Even if it all came out tomorrow, people would still love you and eat right out of your hands. You’re careful, though. It’s what’s saved you. ”

Aaron narrowed his eyes at Emily, trying to find the lie but just like with Kate, his instincts were telling him to trust her.

“Your mother needs to stop blocking my initiative on child molesters and abusers. Get me a meeting with her, and I’ll see whether or not I keep you on my staff.”

“Done. I’ll arrange it right away. And, I would never do anything to hurt Jack. Outing you and Reid? That would hurt your son. I did that once, separated father and son, and though what I did was the right thing, it didn’t feel like the right thing. I pick and choose my battles Hotch. Unless you truly do something that I feel goes too far, I’m not going to say a thing.”

“Okay. I have a movie date with my son and Spencer. We’ll talk more after I speak with your mother.” Aaron went back to his reports effectively dismissing Emily. When she was gone, he made plans in his head, then did some research on Senator Prentiss. He wanted to know everything. He knew he’d have her eating out of his hands before the end of their meeting, especially if her daughter threw in her support of him. He wasn’t worried as he made his plans. Smiling to himself he left his office and joined Spencer and Jack in the viewing room, ironically Spencer wanted to watch _The Manchurian Candidate_ , Aaron couldn’t help finding the humor in that as he sat down and wrapped an arm around his lover and held him close.

* * *

#  _Our World_

"Doctor Reid," Spencer said as he answered his desk phone. He didn't even look at the number that was displayed on the caller ID. He was working on a consult for the CIA on a threat they were tracking overseas and wanted a way of predicting his behaviour to hopefully catch the threat sooner.

"It's Doctor Norman, Doctor Reid."

"Yes, what can I do for you?" Spencer stopped typing on the keyboard and tried to remember the name but it wasn't there. Then he looked at the caller ID. Las Vegas area code. He typed in the phone number into a search browser and it brought up the page for Bennington. Spencer almost dropped the phone. "I'm sorry Doctor Norman I was working on a consult. How is mom doing?"

"Well, Spencer, she's not doing good at the moment. She's asking for you and is just having a bad few weeks. I think that she'd do better with a visit from you. Her new medication is working well, but I think that she's depressed. I can't get her to open up but she talks about missing you and wanting to find you."

"I'll see what I can do, Doctor Norman. We are pretty busy with cases at the moment and I have a backlog of paperwork that will take me days to get through."

"I understand, Spencer. Just try please."

"Of course." Spencer said his goodbyes and then hung up the phone, not even letting it cross his mind that he'd be going to Las Vegas to comfort the woman who had birthed the other Spencer. He buried himself into work and tuned out the whole of the bullpen. He still hadn't mastered working in such a busy environment. He was used to Aaron's office that was kept quiet, except for the sounds of music on occasion. When it was nearing the end of the work day, Spencer made himself get up and get a cup of coffee. When he sat back down, he drank half of the cup before he worked on the final files on his desk.

"Reid, do you have a moment?" Aaron called out from his office door. Spencer closed the file and grabbed his coffee cup before heading up to his office. Aaron's desk was mostly empty, even with the backlog that had built up when they had been in Atlantic City. Aaron had joked that he'd never get caught up but he had, with Spencer's help.

"What do you need, Hotch?" Spencer asked. The door had been left open and Spencer didn't want anyone to hear him call him Aaron. Just in case someone was walking past his office.

"I was at Prentiss' desk when the call from Doctor Norman came through. You can take a few days to go out and see her. If we need your help, we can always call you. Garcia would be able to forward all relevant information to you via your tablet or laptop, whichever you took with you."

"After Atlantic City, I don't have much leave left and I don't want to just get out there and have to turn around." Spencer knew that there wasn't much leave left for him.

"Well, that's where Dave and I come in. That vacation with you was the first time I have used leave in a while. We both have more than enough to give you four days each. So please, Spencer. You need to go and see her. Doctor Norman doesn't call unless you really need to see her. It's been awhile since you have seen her."

Spencer kept it to himself that he hadn't wrote in the months since he'd been there. Of course, that wasn't something that he could share with anyone much less the man across from him.

"I have your plane booked and I saw you with a new go bag this morning. We will have just enough time to get you there. I have the case your gun needs to go into, just in case we have a case come up that we need you on."

"Aaron..."

"All of your downtime is spent with Jack and me and I know that you have to miss seeing your mother."

Spencer kept the snort to himself. He didn't miss seeing his mother. He never had missed seeing his mother. He'd go to Vegas and just do whatever he wanted. If he didn't go, it would look weird. And he didn't put it past Garcia to track him. She was entirely too nosy for her own good and it wasn't making Spencer like her more at all.

"You didn't have to be so underhanded," Spencer said with a frown. Aaron stood up from his chair and came around the desk to kneel in front of him. His hands clasped Spencer's before he kissed the knuckles on both of his hands.

"I just...I wanted to take care of you. I didn't mean for it to be underhanded. I know that your mom not doing well has to be stressing you out so I figured that if I took care of all of the details, you'd feel better."

"Oh." Spencer was a little shocked at how he had reacted. He doubted everyone around him and it was coming off on him doubting Aaron as well. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be." Aaron smiled at him. "Please, let me drive you to the airport."

"Yes." Spencer nodded and let hesitance show. "I can call you right? Whenever I need to?"

"Yes. No matter the time here. I want to kiss you. I want to hold you in my arms until you settle down. But I can't right now. If we leave now we will have a little bit of time before you have to go through security."

"Okay. I'll get my go bag." Spencer stood up and moved to his desk. He cleaned it up and made sure that his files would be there for him when he got back. A minute tremor started in his left hand but he stared at it until it stopped. He had to make it onto the plane before he started to freak out. He couldn't let Aaron see that because his Spencer would never be worried about seeing his mother. About being in the same place as her.

Spencer kept it together through the drive to Dulles. He kept it together through Aaron kissing him goodbye and hugging him tight, telling him to call him as soon as he landed. He kept it together through the security check where he allowed his gun to be inspected and locked away safely. He kept it together though take off and the time spent up to that point. It was after they were allowed to move around in first class that Spencer needed time to himself. He had no seat partners thankfully and went to the restroom, locking the door tight and tried not to hyperventilate. Just being back in Vegas without Aaron, with his Aaron was going to be too much. He tried to take his mind off by putting on the cuffs. He'd got a slightly raised eyebrow when his carry on bag had been scanned but no one had said a thing. His hands shook as he wrapped the collar around his neck. He buttoned the shirt up enough to where no one would see it, but the cuffs would be harder to hide. It helped to settle him, but he knew that he needed more so he moved back to his seat and pulled out his MP3 player. He turned it on and set the background music playlist on it. Then he pulled up a memory of Aaron reading to him when he was younger. When the lifestyle that they now lived wasn't enough to shake the nightmares so Aaron would stay up all night long reading to him so that he never thought that he'd gone back to her. That he was safe. The rest of the trip to Vegas was quick.

* * *

Finding Bennington wasn't hard. Spencer sat down in the car that had been waiting for him when he'd got off the plane. Aaron had rented him a car. Spencer parked in the visitor's parking lot with a view of the front doors. The place looked nice. Spencer had chosen well for his mother. If it had been him, Spencer would have dropped her in one of those places that were audited for inhumane experiments.

Hand on the door handle, Spencer hesitated. He looked down at his hand that was shaking even as it gripped the handle. The fear was there, just as big has it had been over two decades ago.

He couldn't do it.

* * *

Spencer pulled the keys from the ignition and forced himself out of car, his bag slung over his shoulder. He dropped the keys inside and slammed the door shut pretty hard. An orderly who was helping an older lady to her car looked up at him. Spencer just looked away, back to the doors of the institution. He took a very shaky step and waited to feel the overwhelming fear that had taken him the day before.

Every single step had it getting bigger and bigger inside of him. He made it halfway through the lot before he felt the first urge to turn back. He fought it though, and made himself keep going.

When he touched the doorknob though, Spencer felt sick to his stomach. His skin was crawling. He turned and fled. He didn't have to do this. He was fine without.

He didn't stop shaking until he got back to his hotel and was in the bathroom, naked with warm water flowing over him as he sat on his knees trying to think of anything else.

* * *

The doors were right there in front of him. It was just a few steps and he'd be able to go inside and once he was inside he'd be fine. Once he was inside he'd be perfectly fine. It would be fine. Spencer stopped at the doors and when he was ready, he jerked them open. He stepped inside and slid to the side. He wanted to be out of the way while he breathed in deep.

In and out. In and out. He was safe. No one there was going to hurt him and no one was going to let Diana Reid hurt him. The atrium of Bennington was empty. No patients, no visitors, and even no workers. He could see the registration desk there at the side and hear voices.

Spencer was out the door before he even realized what he did. He got into the car and sat there. He breathed in deep and laid his hand on his thigh, right on the meat of it and squeezed. He didn't dig his his nails in, but just put pressure, making a dull pain. He hadn't had to do it in years, but it had worked when he got upset while taking classes. He hadn't always been able to get to Aaron to settle himself.

* * *

There was little to distract himself with when he finally got inside the main part of Bennington. There were patients in the periphery areas but no one looked at him. No one stopped to look at him at all.

"Oh, Doctor Reid, Diana is the main hall today," a nurse said as she passed by him. Spencer looked at her and smiled as he moved kind of in the direction he figured out was the way to the main hall. Just as he entered, he recognized the outline of her body. She was hunched over a book, writing in it. He stared at her for several long minutes. It had taken him four days to even get far enough to where he could see her and his heart was racing.

He'd never felt like this before. He needed to get away. He needed to get away and never come back. This wasn't his mother and he had no reason to be doing what he was doing.

* * *

When Spencer figured out where Diana was, he seriously debated running right then but he didn't. He made it even farther this visit than he had any of the others. He watched the woman as she sat and stared out the window.

That dug up memories of him sitting at her knees when they were at the park as she read to him when he was much younger. The only good memories he had of her, but he'd buried them so deep because even though they were good, the good lead to the bad. Three steps inside he stopped. She was moving. She was moving in the chair and then all Spencer could see was a flash of knife.

Spencer was inside of the car before he breathed again. He looked at himself in the mirror and cursed what he looked like. He knew that he needed to take care of himself better, but the fear was there, with no way to get rid of it. He'd tried that day to not go to Bennington but the urge had been too strong.

When he got back to the hotel, Spencer turned on his tablet. He'd been talking to Jack over it every night, but still he hadn't used it besides that. He found a listing of all of the clubs in Vegas and started to peruse them. He'd find what he was looking for.

* * *

The lights were dim inside the club. It had taken him some fast talking to get inside of the place, and he wasn't all that sure that security still wasn't going to find him and throw him out. Instead of the fast and hard beats, the club was playing slow and sultry music at the moment. He was dressed to impress and so many of the unattached Doms in the club had looked at him. Quite a few of the attached Doms had as well, but he was giving off a very big "Don't Touch Me" vibe.

The bar wasn't that packed as many of the Subs were out on the floor, attracting all of the Doms out there as well. Spencer found himself a seat at the bar where no one would be able to come up behind him and he could see nearly the entire place. This place was one of the finer establishments, but it wasn't Aaron's club.

Spencer had a stare down with a Dom on the other side of the bar. The man's attention hadn't been as unnoticed as he thought he was being. He wasn't sure of the dynamics of the place, but he figured that enough of a ruckus and even a Dom would be thrown out.

"What exactly are you looking for?" a lithe woman asked as she took the seat on the stool next to him. Spencer looked her up and down and his eyes stayed on her collar for several seconds. It had an actual lock on it, but the lock looked to be made of tungsten. Hard to cut off. The collar itself was platinum.

"My Dom is not here at the moment, circumstances beyond either of our control, and I need to get out of my head a little. I was looking for a lovely couple that would let me watch."

"I see." She leaned in close. "That's what I told my Dom, and he thought that I was reaching so he made me come over here and shame myself by asking, and finding out that I was wrong. Am I allowed to touch?"

"No, but that is a personal preference more than a rule from my Dom."

"We have a room two floors up, want to join us?"

"Lead the way, lovely." Spencer picked up his drink. It was just ginger ale, but he wanted something to have in his hands.

The room that the Sub and her Dom lead him to was nice, more like a suite than a room. It meant that they played there often. There was a bathroom off to the left and a bedroom to the right. Instead of a couch in the middle of the room there was a Saint Andrew's Cross.

"My name is Sabian and my Sub here is Emmaline. We are happy to have you join us. Emmie tells me that you don't want to be touched at all?"

"No."

"Anything else? Anything you don't want to see?"

"I'm sure that you don't play as hard as my Dom and I so no. Play like I am not even here." Spencer found a chair that gave him the view that he wanted, more of Sabian than Emmaline. There was nothing of Aaron in Sabian, but he hoped that if he wished enough, he could trick his mind.

The Dom and Sub played hard and Spencer could tell that this was a treat, having someone watch. Emmaline was worked up from the second that she was strapped to the cross. Even with him in the room she was stripped naked so when her arousal was so great that she came when she locked eyes with Spencer, he could smell it. Sabian was still in his jeans but his arousal was evident.

For the second half, Spencer had his eyes closed. The sound of the flogger crashing into skin followed by the whack of a paddle had Spencer slowly settling. He knew the moment that Emmaline was released from her bonds as the sounds died away. Spencer kept his eyes closed. He blocked out all sound until he felt his chair being jostled. Spencer opened his eyes to see Sabian there.

"You can use the bathroom to clean up." The man's eyes were on his obviously not hard cock.

"I don't get hard unless Sir tells me I can. Cleaning up is not an issue. Thank you, it was beautiful. There is obviously love there."

"I..." Sabian looked very shocked as Spencer made his way out of the room. Even just that little bit of listening to someone else play had centered him enough. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Bennington was quiet for it being early in the morning. Spencer opened the doors to the building and moved inside. He had called already and knew that she was enjoying the morning sun in her rooms.

"Mom?" Spencer asked as he entered the room. The urge to flee started as soon as she turned to look at him, but it stopped the second that he saw no anger there.

"Shut the door Spencer and come here."

Diana patted her knee and Spencer knew what she wanted but he couldn't do it. He couldn't kneel to her. Even if he wasn't giving her submission. Spencer grabbed the folding chair from where it was leaned against the wall outside her room and shut the door as he entered. He opened the chair and sat in front of her, just outside of her reach. The pain in her eyes was outstanding.

"I knew from the moment that I saw a news broadcast for California three months ago that you were not my Spencer. Is he safe where he is?"

"Safer than I am. My..." Spencer stopped.

"Your Dominant? I saw the collar yesterday."

"He would never hurt Spencer." Spencer left off the unless he wanted it. "He would do anything to protect what is his and no Spencer could ever say no to him."

"She hurt you didn't she? Your mother. I see the fear in your eyes. You are just out of my reach and you look ready to bolt."

"Yes she did. My A-" Spencer cut himself off. He didn't know if Diana knew about what Spencer had been building to with Aaron.

"Your Aaron did what?" Diana asked with a small smile. Spencer could see that while she was gripped with her disease, it hadn't shattered that brilliant mind of hers.

"He saved me from her. He killed her to protect me." Spencer knew that if he had been anyone else he would be fidgeting, but he was in control of his body.

"I'm glad that he did. I'm glad that you have him, even if he is lost to you right now. Thank him for me. I know that I am not your mother, but the worst thing that I could think of is waking up from a delusion and realizing that I had killed Spencer. How do you plan on getting home?"

"I have to hope that your Spencer can recreate it on my side because I have to play a very...delicate game. If someone wrong knows that I am not this world's Spencer it would go very badly. I'm trying to keep a low profile." Spencer was sure that even if Diana told anyone about this, it would be enough that she was a paranoid schizophrenic that no one would look at him.

"And Aaron Hotchner doesn't suspect?" Diana looked like she was a little shocked at that.

"He's...Spencer and him hadn't done a single thing besides casually date. I don't know that they were ever intimate enough verbally for him to really realize a difference and me. Aaron taught me well how to be a chameleon. I just use a little different skills than your Spencer does." Spencer relaxed in his chair, leaning back and crossing his legs.

"Do you love your Aaron?"

"I do."

"Yet there is something there...You love him but it's..." Diana was very smart. Spencer never remembered his mother being this smart. That intelligence and her gripping tight of it might have been what saved her from the fate that Spencer's mother had.

"Aaron has never had me talk to a shrink. I'd talk circles around them and end up just pissing them off. I self diagnosed as a sociopath a long time ago. It's a selfish love. Like a child who would rather break their toy than see someone else play with it." And Spencer was sure that it was something that he would do. He never saw himself as wanting to leave Aaron, willingly, and he knew that no one would be able to make him leave Aaron but the late nights, sometimes when he couldn't sleep, he thought about what he would do. If that time came where he and Aaron weren't good together anymore. He would rather see Aaron dead than with someone else.

"He's going to come back different isn't he?" Diana asked.

"Aaron is a hard man and he has Dominant needs that he won't have filled elsewhere. It all depends on what your Spencer wants. Aaron would never force him to do a thing."

"My Spencer is going to come back changed. I know he is. I met Spencer's team the first time when he had been on the team about two years. He was changed then. The longer he has been around Aaron Hotchner the more he has changed. Good changes I think. Changes he wouldn't have had to make if his father had stuck around. If I had been healthy."

"I don't see her in you at all. I don't. I don't see a single bit of that madness that was in her eyes."

"The longer you sit here, the more I see that shadow leaving your eyes. Closure, yes? What you never got because your Aaron killed her before you could reconcile the woman who attacked you and your mother?"

"Yes. Even the thought of you just months ago sent me into a panic attack. I came here and I was shocked at how different it all was and then your name was dropped and I freaked out." Spencer reached out his hand and Diana clasped it within her own.

"I read to some of the residents here after they finish breakfast. Do you want to join me?"

Spencer smiled and stood up, offering his arm to her like a proper gentleman.

* * *

There was little to do for the rest of his what ended up being two weeks in Las Vegas. He'd spent quite a bit of time with Diana and even on one occasion took her out for a meal. He'd not had a nightmare since he'd talked to her. He was excited to be going home, his real home with his Aaron and his Jack. He talked to this world's Aaron and Jack every single night.

It was his final night, his flight was at seven thirty the next morning and he'd be flying straight onto Quantico base. Rossi had snagged him a military ride home. A man weaving through a crowd at a bar caught his eye. He followed behind him. When the man sat down with a small crowd of what looked like businessmen, Spencer knew him.

William Reid.

Spencer took a seat to watch the man as he drank with his co-workers. The man looked happy. Way too happy for a man who never saw his son and basically lived in the same city as his wife and never made sure that she was fine.

The man wasn't even paying attention as Spencer followed behind him the entire walk to his home. He was asleep by the time that Spencer let himself into his house. There was no security outside of an alarm that he disengaged on the first try with the date that William had started at the law firm he worked at. Soft gloves from his pocket were slipped onto his hands before he started looking around.

Spencer took his time looking around the house and even paid attention to William's cat. In the kitchen, he found empty syringes. Slipping one into his pocket he moved up the stairs into the master bedroom. Nowhere in the house was the fact that he had a son or even a wife. There were no pictures, not even baby pictures. He wanted to know how his co-workers allowed themselves to work with someone like him.

It was easy to track the state of sleep that the man was in. He waited until he was in the deepest part of sleep before he worked the bed clothes up to where he could get to the left foot. Gently, he worked the toes apart and drew air into the syringe with his other hand. Sliding the needle in, he found the vein he wanted. He blessed his memory and his extensive knowledge of the human body. He injected the air into William's vein.

Spencer had no want of seeing William Reid die a second time. He petted the cat again as he left, watching it jump onto it's master's bed before he left. He reset the alarm and made sure the door was locked. It was so late that there wasn't a single light on anywhere on the street. The area had to be full of workers who worked nine to five jobs.

By the time that WIlliam Reid was found, he'd be long dead and Spencer would be flying back to DC. The syringe was dropped into an alleyway where others were, where junkies hung out. The gloves were left at the airport along with the wrapper from his breakfast sandwich.

The flight was filled with other men and women catching a ride to DC. All of them were armed forces across various branches. He stayed to himself at the back of the cargo jet. Thankfully, no one bothered him.

Aaron was waiting for him at the landing strip when he walked down the ramp. In his hand was an envelope. Spencer cocked an eyebrow as he stepped up to him.

"This was waiting for you on your desk yesterday morning. I didn't pay any attention to it until this morning when I saw the logo for my apartment building." Aaron handed it over and Spencer looked and saw that it was indeed from the building manager at the other apartment.

Spencer opened the seal carefully and found inside the note of when he could start to move in as well as the first set of keys to his new apartment. He looked at the number and found that it was the one right next to Aaron's. Spencer tried to even think if he had seen anything about that in anything inside of Spencer's apartment. So he went back to the paperwork and found that the lease agreement had been signed the day that they had swapped.

"I forgot."

"What did you forget?"

"I realized this past weekend that I needed to a find a new place. I forgot that I had signed these."

"How did you forget?"

"It was the day of the explosion. You know my memories of the hours leading up to it are fuzzy. I..." Spencer showed him the paperwork and let him read it over. The move in date was that weekend. Plenty of time to get his things out of the old apartment. He was sure that Morgan would help him, as well as Prentiss, JJ, and Will. He'd already packed up the things that he didn't really need to use. Meaning a lot of the things in the apartment were in boxes. With working as much as he did, leisure reading was small so he was able to find it easier to just pick a book from the box of unread ones than to do anything else.

"That's the apartment next to mine. Did you..."

"I meant to discuss it with you, but with everything and the explosion." Spencer worked himself up. He breathed in deep to take a few shorter, but deeper breaths as well. Like he was getting ready to hyperventilate. "I gave over the check already but I'm sure that if-"

Aaron stopped him with a hand over his mouth. "Breathe."

Spencer slowly settled his breathing, making a show of it.

"Get inside the car and we will talk." Aaron pointed to the passenger side as he took the go bag from Spencer's hand. Spencer moved around the car and settled into the passenger seat. He buckled in and wasn't shocked when Aaron took off driving away from the airfield. They had to work so they couldn't just slip away but still Aaron did park in the garage before he turned to Spencer.

"I mean it Aaron. I'll break the lease."

"You don't need to. I like the thought of you living next door. You having an elevator instead of just the walk up. I'm sure that Jack would love it. So you are moving next door this weekend." The tone brokered no questions. Spencer was moving in it seemed whether he liked it or not. And he liked it a lot.

Spencer smiled at him. He wanted to kiss the man, but knew that he couldn't. Not there. Not where someone could see them or even a camera could catch them. Maybe at lunch he could slip into Aaron's office for a quick make out session.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

The experiments were going nowhere. He and Charlie tried to adjust for everything they could think of. Spencer was at loss and didn’t know what to do. He didn’t even know how to explain what was going on in his head to Aaron. At this point he started to believe that he was never getting back, never going home to his Aaron. Of course, he wasn’t even sure if his Aaron would even want him anymore.

Spencer slid down the wall across from Gideon’s cell, and tears fell as he let himself fall into a momentary despair. He’d tried to hold on so hard, but every failure to replicate the accident was one more painful reminder of what he was losing. He closed his eyes a moment and thought back to just a few days before. He had remembered that all important date. It was the day he was going to move into the apartment next to his Aaron. He had forgotten all about it, and he couldn’t help wondering if his counterpart made the move or not. He also couldn’t let go of the knowledge that Aaron was probably fucking the other Spencer, and for some reason the pain of that churned in his gut.

As he sat there staring at Gideon, like he had almost everyday since finding out that Aaron had him, Spencer knew he had no right to be angry at his Aaron. Wasn’t he doing the same? Having a relationship just because it was an Aaron. He thought of the finished tattoo on his back and wondered what the other man would think of it if he ever did get back. Would he hate him for giving in? For loving another Aaron, for letting his submissive side loose? Would his Aaron see him any different? Would he see hate and derision in his eyes? He didn’t think he would be able to take it if his Aaron didn’t want him, didn’t want to love him. It would break him and he knew it. If he got back and Aaron rejected him, it would tear him apart losing them both.

So, he sat there on the floor as depression started to swamp him, and looking at his old mentor, in that moment he hated him. He didn’t know why he tortured himself this way. Coming down here every day, staring at the man and hating him for what he did, not only to him, but to Aaron too. He knew, even if his Aaron wouldn’t admit it, that there had been a deep friendship there. His Aaron had loved Gideon in his own way, but he buried it, like he buried everything else. He knew this wasn’t _his_ Gideon, but something in him just couldn’t stop.

As much as he came down, Rossi did as well. He would just look at Spencer with a sad expression, punch in the code and go into Gideon’s room. The first few times Spencer opted not to listen when Rossi asked if he wanted to hear what they talked about, but then his curiosity took over. He could just make out the chess board as Rossi set it up and sat next to Jason.

Spencer learned a lot about Gideon, about this world's Rossi and even Foyet. Spencer learned that Rossi had lost it in the field. He shot an UnSub point blank, and it was the last straw for the Bureau and his increasingly odd behaviour. They put up, for a while, his seductions of other FBI agents, and boy did Spencer get an earful. Not just women, but he took a few men to bed as well. He knew his Rossi wouldn’t think about that. He was all about women.

The most egregious crime was when he started to seduce witnesses, and a couple of times even victims family members. Spencer finally knew what is was that made his skin crawl, Rossi always looked at those around him like he wanted to bed them. All except Aaron who was like a son to him. There were other issues as well, and everything had just built up till it was too much and he was given the choice of leaving, or the Bureau would outright fire him. He chose to leave.

Spencer understood the man a little more, it didn’t mean that he liked him. But, he had good connections, deep connections that he had fostered during his time at the FBI. Those connections helped Aaron more than once, and Spencer knew that Rossi was a tool to Aaron. Oh, he felt loyalty and some affection, but it wasn’t exactly a father-son feeling on Aaron’s part. He only had room in his heart for two people, himself and Jack.

Spencer shook himself out of the memories of those overheard conversations, and closed his eyes a moment, and smiled slightly at the memories of the previous evening. Aaron had used him well. That little voice that had always guided him, was screaming at him that he was changing too much, but he had no desire to stop, to give up what he was becoming. He found a kind of strength he never realized was inside him. He knew he had fallen hard and it excited him at the same time that it scared him. He was letting himself be marked, in more ways than one, and god help him he liked the feeling of being owned, being possessed by another person. If he decided to give up on the the experiments, to stay, he knew what would happen. He would give himself even more, let his submission be complete and he’d agree to the prince albert Aaron wanted him to get. It would be his final surrender, and he knew after that, there would be no going back for him.

He opened his eyes and cocked his head as he looked at Jason Gideon, once great profiler, now just existing on feeding tubes, mind and body broken. He was horrified, but a tiny bit vindicated as well. He openly stared letting his anger and hate come through, it was almost visceral as he stared at the man. He had never let himself feel these feelings, had held onto an image of Gideon, that just wasn’t real. Here and now, his eyes were opened and he understood so many things about the man. Today was the day, today he was going to tell Jason just what he thought of him. He stood and stalked to the glass door, input the code that Aaron had given to him, and entered the room. Putting his hands on the footboard he leaned forward and glared.

“I’m sure by now you have figured out that I’m not this world’s Spencer Reid. You’re too smart not to have. I’m also sure you’ve been wondering why I’ve been coming to see you everyday. And why I haven’t talked to you, not once. Today, though, I knew I needed to make my peace.

“I don’t fear you Jason, if that is what you’re thinking. I’ve been formulating in my mind what it is I’ve been wanting to tell you.” Spencer moved around the bed and leaned down close to Jason’s face. “I know you. I’ve been studying you. Everything Aaron had ever gathered about you, and everything Spencer ever wrote down in his personal files about you. And I laughed. I laughed because while most everyone around here is vastly different than my world, you, Supervisory Special Agent Jason Gideon, are. Exactly. The. Same.”

Spencer cocked his head again, took a deep breath and stood-up. He moved again, but this time he straddled Gideon’s waist and leaned back down.

“I figured you out, you know. After I got clean, after you left me with only a letter, which my father did, but you didn’t know that. I kept some things to myself because you didn’t need any more ways to hurt me. But, Jason, I figured you out.” Spencer leaned all the way till his mouth was against Jason’s ear, “You wanted to fuck me. You wanted me for yourself, but were too chicken shit to do anything about it.” When he sat back up he saw Jason’s eyes widen.

“What? You can’t speak? The tubes aren’t in your mouth. Or, are you afraid that you feel the same for this world’s Spencer?” Spencer pressed his lips together in a hard line.

“Spencer, what, what happened to you?” Spencer noticed that Gideon wanted to touch him, but he just grabbed the older man’s hands and held them down on the bed.

“That is a long conversation. But I’ll give you the short version. I was kidnapped by an Unsub, he forced a drug on me, I got addicted. When I didn’t fall at your feet begging for help you left me to deal with it on my own. The _only_ person on the team, the _family_ that we supposedly built that helped me was Aaron.

“You got jealous, then you got stupid. You should have seen Breitkopf coming a mile away, yet you chose to ignore the possibility. You were too far gone by then. Anger, self-doubt, depression. I wasn’t stupid, I saw it.” Spencer leaned forward again and laid his forehead against Jason’s, “You wallowed in your self-pity and enjoyed it. Then you just disappeared.”

“Spencer, listen to me, you need to get away. You’re right, I did figure you out, it’s too late for me...” Spencer released one of Gideon’s hands and just laid a finger on Jason’s mouth to shut him up.

Swallowing he removed his shirt and turned around. He heard the quiet sob from Gideon, and felt the fingers tracing what he could reach. Spencer allowed it, for the moment. He knew every quote on his back by heart, and they all had to do with being owned, submitting, and giving into desire. Turning back he looked at Jason, the gold rings shining brightly against his dusky nipples

“I think I’ve passed the point of no return. I know I’ve changed. I’ve let it happen. Probably could have fought harder, longer, but what was the point? He’s _Aaron_. I think if I travelled through a thousand realities, I’d always find him and I’d _always_ want him, no matter who or what he was. I think I’d always become what he needs, and I’d always become what I needed for him. You know I’m mostly a man of science, but when it come to Aaron, I think, I think I believe in fate.”

“He’s already corrupted you, turned you. Spencer it’s never too late. George, he can help, find George he’ll protect you…” Spencer wrapped a hand around his throat and squeezed.

“George Foyet will never get his hands on Aaron, do you understand? He did in my world, he hurt and stalked Aaron. Played mind games, then killed his wife and almost killed his son. Now, while this world is different, there are many similar traits. Your George is stalking Aaron, trying to hurt him and I won’t let it happen again. Understand?” Spencer surprised even himself with his tone of voice. It was hard as he poured out all that he was feeling towards Gideon.

Gideon was shaking and Spencer just lifted a brow. He had no emotions left when it came to Jason Gideon. He let go of his throat and closed his eyes a moment. He finally, after almost four years of pain and anger over Jason, Spencer felt at peace. When he opened his eyes back-up he had a clarity of the man that he had never had before.

“I was only ever a tool to you. My intelligence, my trust, and yes Jason, even a part of my heart, you used them, for your own selfish purposes. I loved you, not the way you wanted, but as mentor and friend, and you used me. Oh, I think a part of you loved me, as long as I was the whipped puppy that followed at your heels. But, under Aaron’s caring and guiding, this puppy grew-up and you didn’t like that. I feel sorry for you.”

Spencer bent down and brushed his lips against Gideon’s.“I think, there was a short-time, that I might have let you have me. I was so enamored of you, so infatuated that I might have fallen into your bed, thankfully I came to my senses. I am going to give you a kiss, just one, so you can always remember what you lost.” Spencer closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Gideon’s. He thought of his mentor, the man he had once loved and poured all of that into it. When he broke away, he saw a tear running down Jason’s cheek. He didn’t even wipe away the tears, and knew as he sat there looking down at Jason that the man was hard, even now, even when he shouldn’t be. Spencer just raised a brow and felt absolutely nothing.

Spencer stood, grabbed his shirt, and left the room to go in search of Aaron. He needed him, he needed what it was they did in the playroom, he needed the pain and the release. And he knew Aaron would give it to him. He needed something to remind him to go on and at this moment that was the only place that could bring him strength, and maybe even hope.


	8. Chapter Eight

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer looked at himself in the full-length mirror in their bathroom, water slowly dripping off him as the steam of the shower was evaporating. His fingers ghosted over the image staring back at him and he almost didn’t recognize himself. He no longer fought the changes, no longer fought Aaron’s desires. He had surrendered himself fully and yet found a strength within him that he didn’t know he had. Everything that happened to him was completely in his control. He could have said no at anytime, but realized, especially after the last change to his body, he didn’t want to say no. He gently cupped his cock and looked at the Prince Albert piercing. The slightly curved bar adorning his penis fascinated him. Spencer didn’t startle when he felt hands on him. Aaron was dropping onto his knees in front of him with the salt water soak to help the healing of the piercing.

That was the biggest surprise for Spencer. Aaron was obsessed with the care of the piercing, making sure it healed well. He wouldn’t let Spencer care for it alone.This was not the first time since coming to this world that he felt completely loved, worshipped, and owned. Though Aaron hadn’t said the words to him, the care Aaron took with him, even in the playroom, Spencer knew. He also knew Aaron was conflicted over the feelings he had, but he wasn’t going to bring it up yet. He lightly touched Aaron’s head and moaned when kisses were placed around his groin and thighs. He shivered with the tenderness and care that Aaron took. It was so achingly wonderful, even knowing the psychopathy of the man. It was moments like this that made him fall even harder.

“All done.” Aaron stood and grabbed a towel, gently drying Spencer. “I can’t wait till you can fuck me.” Aaron ghosted his lips over Spencer’s neck, not quite kissing, but it was enough to make Spencer shudder in pleasure. 

Aaron’s hands wandered over his now nearly hairless body, which he was still getting used to. The treatments had taken a while, over the last two months, but Spencer liked not having to shave. It still felt odd, but he was finding that he enjoyed it, especially when Aaron would caress him. The only hair he had left was on his head, his eyebrows and around his cock. Even his underarms were hairless, which he wasn’t going to complain about. 

“How does it feel to not to have to wear glasses anymore?”

“Strange, but I’ll get used to it.” Spencer smiled then was pulled against Aaron and kissed. They stood there wrapped together, and Spencer could feel Aaron’s rapidly hardening cock. He didn’t need much encouragement as he sank to his knees onto the soft thick rug and took Aaron’s hardness in his mouth. That was another revelation to him. He found that he loved sucking Aaron’s cock, loved the feel of it. He loved how Aaron used him, then came down his throat. He shivered at the feeling as the now softened cock was pulled out of his mouth. He whimpered a little and a soft chuckle escaped from Aaron’s mouth.

“Perfect.” Aaron pulled him up by his hair and kissed him, tongue thrusting in his mouth as he chased the taste of himself. “My perfect little kitten.” Words whispered against his lips had Spencer moaning in pleasure. He was beginning to relish the knowledge that he could reduce Aaron completely and in that knowledge was power. It took Spencer a while to realize that while Aaron was the dominant, he held so much of the power in their private relationship, and in that knowledge it became easier to surrender, to let himself be owned, and he wondered, not for the first time, what his Aaron would think of him. Would this strength he found follow him? Or would he return to the man he was before? Somehow Spencer knew these changes were permanent, and knowing that, he was certain his team was not going to know what hit them. He had a few choice words for each of them, and a part of him hoped he got back because he couldn’t wait to use them.

He was brought out of his head by a hand in his hair.

“We have to get dressed. The Senator will be waiting for us.”

“Dinner and Vivaldi, she did her homework on us.”

Aaron smiled that sharklike smile, “And you, my little ruthless kitten, found everything I’ll need on her. Between you and Garcia, the Senator won’t know what hit her.”

Spencer dressed in the tuxedo, the platinum collar sticking out just enough that people would see it. He was disappointed he couldn’t wear the cuffs, but the platinum and peridot cufflinks settled him a little. When he was done he went to meet Aaron in the dining room where Jack was having dinner with JJ and Garcia and they wanted to say their goodbyes before they left. 

Spencer had been struck by how very, very different this Garcia was. She still had that bright personality, but it was tame compared to his Penny. Her clothing was also more subtle, she chose to show her personality in her work. She was ruthless when it came to finding the information she wanted and Spencer suspected that a few of the widespread breaches in information was her doing, but he knew he’d never be able to prove it. He admitted, he really liked this Garcia. She was still compassionate and understanding, still saw the brighter side of humanity, but she wasn’t naive. She knew that bad things happened in the world and accepted and processed them. She also wasn’t naive about Aaron. She knew the things he was into and it seemed to speak to the Black Queen, her loyalty, like others around Aaron, was fierce.

He fully entered the dining room and saw the two women lightly teasing the boy and both men laughed at their antics.

“Bossman. You look amazing.” Garcia smiled as she stood and came over to give them each a quick hug.

“How are you settling in Penny?”

“Well, if I get tech like Mr. Grimes gave me? I don’t think I’d ever leave here. That system is boss. I just may never leave.” She smiled her infectious smile. “And being closer to my Der Bear is a plus. Thank you for never giving up on him.”

“Never. Now, don’t corrupt my son too much Penny.” 

“Oh, Bossman, never.” The wicked grin didn’t fool either Spencer or Aaron, they just shook their heads, said their goodbyes and left for their meeting with Senator Prentiss. Aaron was so looking forward to this evening.

* * *

“Mr. Hotchner, Dr. Reid. I’m glad you agreed to meet with me. Of course my daughter didn’t give me much choice.”

“Senator. Let’s not play games. You got your daughter to try to spy on me in my own home. Of course, I can only imagine what she relayed to you since she didn’t have access to much at all.” Aaron took a sip of his wine, his expression turned flat as he glared at the woman. “I knew the moment she stepped into my home what she was there for. You are a fool to have attempted something like that. You and she are also lucky that my son likes her. If not, she would have been dealt with long ago.”

“Are you threatening me, Mr. Hotchner?” Senator Prentiss glared back.

Spencer watched the exchange, looking for tells in the Senator. The minor shaking of her hands let him know she was afraid, but wasn’t going to show it. Spencer adjusted his cuffs, as a signal to Aaron, before he lifted his glass to take a sip of his wine.

“I don’t make threats Senator. I make promises. And I promise that if you or Emily does anything to compromise my family in anyway, I will end you both and no one will be able to prove a thing.”

The Senator visibly swallowed as she slightly squirmed in her seat.

“Well, it’s lucky that I have some news that you will be very happy to hear. Seems I received a computer file, don’t know who sent it because it was untraceable. I can assume it was someone close to you, but, like you said, I won’t be able to prove anything.” 

“If you have something, Mrs. Prentiss, it would be in your best interest to tell us. Aaron is an infinitely patient man, but, even I can see that that patience is wearing off.” Spencer glared at the woman. He hadn’t liked her in his world at all. After reading up on her, he absolutely hated her in this world. She played with people’s lives, bullied and used her own daughter for her own means. The BAU had another case that they were going to help out on, but her interference caused them to be diverted. People died and Spencer couldn’t help resenting the woman. It was almost mirror to what happened in his world. There had been no need for the BAU to get involved in the Russian community and what was going on in it. But, her interference had diverted them away from cases they were more suited for, and just like this world, people needlessly died because of her. Now she was blocking an important bill because it looked good for her to politically oppose it.

“Your boy toy is showing that spine of steel I’ve heard so much about.” The Senator stared hard at Spencer, her eyes turning flat and cold. What she hadn’t expected was for Aaron to strike. Her wrist was held in an iron grip and the look on Aaron’s face had her shaking. There was no disguising her fear.

“You will address him as Dr. Reid. He is a man to be respected, and if you don’t want your daughter to be out on her ass and thoroughly ruined you will change your tone. Now, tell me what you wanted to tell me and stop playing these word games. Spencer is right, my patience is thinning, Senator.” He held her gaze till she broke eye contact and looked down at the table. Only then did he release her wrist and sit back.

Aaron smiled a bit as the Senator took a drink of water, hands shaking and her eyes darted around for a moment before she finally settled.

“I apologize Dr. Reid. I meant no disrespect.”

“I highly doubt that Senator. You play with lives because it gives you a false sense of power. You play political games because it makes you look good on the Senate floor. You hold your votes when you think it will give you the power that you crave, though you know that power is only temporary. Don’t play with me Senator, you won’t win, and you certainly will not win with Aaron.”

The Senator looked between the both of them then took a deep breath.

“We have enough evidence to hand over to the FBI that will get Supervisory Special Agent George Foyet, not only fired, but discredited and blackballed from all lettered agencies. Early yesterday I received a file that contained details of his...deplorable sexual appetites. Pictures of underage girls, dates and times and details of the acts themselves.” The Senator sat back and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

“Some as young as thirteen.” Senator Prentiss stopped talking as the cheese course was brought out and placed in front of them. “I’ll stop the block on your initiative, Mr. Hotchner. No one in law enforcement should have the means or the power to get out of facing the consequences of such deplorable acts. Even if I think it’s a little far reaching, it's necessary.”

Aaron took a few moments as he cut into the soft, sweet brie on his plate and added the marcona almonds and honey to the bite. Slipping the fork between his lips he closed his eyes and moaned in pleasure at the taste explosion on his tongue. He pulled the fork slowly out of his mouth then opened his eyes, first to smile at Spencer, then he swung his gaze to the Senator.

“And what do I have to do for this generous offer?”

“Don’t hurt my daughter, that’s all I ask.”

“Nothing will happen to Emily, I promise. Now, I have information on a certain arms dealer that has made his own threats against Emily. I can promise you I will have it taken care of and Emily will be safe.”

“Then we have an agreement?” Aaron’s mouth turned up in an almost sharklike grin. He knew he had her, now and for quite sometime to come.

* * *

“Sir, I’m sorry I tried to stop…” Aaron’s secretary ran into the office just ahead of the man behind her who barged his way in.

“I know it was you. I don’t know how you did it, but I know it was you.” Foyet started to move forward towards Aaron in a threatening manner when Spencer struck. The working out with Derek was paying off more and more as he moved fast. He had Foyet in an unbreakable hold, though the man was doing his best to struggle out of it.

“It’s fine Nancy, we’ll deal with it from here.” 

“Yes sir.” The woman backed out of the room and shut the door behind her.

“I’m genuinely flattered that you think I had anything to do with the firing and the current manhunt out for you, but..” Aaron smiled wide, his dimples showing as he stepped up to Foyet. “I can say with perfect clarity and sincerity that this was not my doing. Spencer, if you’d be so kind as to sit him in the chair and here, use these.” Aaron handed him the handcuffs he had grabbed from his desk.

“You know it’s rather stupid to go on the run and show up in the office of the man you’ve been stalking for the last few years.” Spencer said as he cuffed Foyet to the chair.

“If it isn’t me, it’ll be someone to bring you and your whole operation down.”

“I don’t think so Foyet. Whatever was given to your bosses, it wasn’t us. But, this will be.” He picked-up a file and didn’t stop the sneer on his face.

“What’s that?”

“Evidence, of course. Misappropriation of funds, using your team’s budget for personal gain, and so much more. Blackmail, coercion of witnesses, even evidence of having certain inmates killed to further your vendetta against Aaron. We’ve spent months compiling it all. When the FBI gets here, we will hand this over. You’re done Foyet.”

“Mr. Hotchner, Dr. Reid, how are you this evening?” Spencer was stunned, Aaron just smiled as one Special Agent Seeley Booth walked into the office. “ I’ve been sent to collect Foyet.” The agent walked through the door and right up to Aaron. “We had a feeling he would try to come at you. Your secretary called and we weren’t that far away.”

“Thank you Agent Booth. And here, all statements inside this folder are corroborated and notarized. You’ll have even more on this corrupt asshole.” Spencer glared hotly at Foyet.

“Well, well, well. How’s it feel Georgie? I am soo gonna love this and Bones? I had to keep her in the car or she would have come up here and kicked your ass. You know how she feels about Dr. Reid. You also know that no one in the Bureau will sympathize with you. We have all known that you were corrupt, but now someone had the balls to actually prove it.” Seeley stood in front of the now discredited agent and sneered. 

Spencer knew he had to be careful, Booth was one of his favorite people, as was Temperance, but he had to play it cool. He hadn’t even thought of them in the months he had been to this world, but it was nice to see that someone else was somewhat the same as his Booth. 

“Booth. You and your partner will pay for this.” 

“Nope, we won’t. But you certainly will.” Booth got even closer and Spencer saw the fire in his eyes. “One of those girls was Cassie White. Tempe’s niece. How many other girls that volunteered in the Bureau Day Care did you touch? Huh? You are lucky that I’ve been to anger management or I’d tear you limb from limb right now. Tempe, though, well, I can’t say the same for her. Now let’s go.” Booth grabbed Foyet’s arm and squeezed.

“Spencer, Temperance wanted to have you and Aaron over for dinner. She had some old skeleton come to her lab that she wanted your opinion on. Say Thursday?”

Spencer almost burst out laughing, but he held it in as he kept his face deadpanned.

“I think we can pencil it in Seeley. Tell Dr. Brennan we’d be happy to go.”

“Good, bring Jack. He can keep the twins occupied.” Seeley smiled once then turned and shoved Foyet towards the door. “I am so going to enjoy seeing you go down Georgie boy.” 

As soon as they were gone and out the door both Spencer just shook his head.

“How long have you had Booth in your pocket?”

“I don’t. You and Dr. Brennan have had a close friendship since you were about fifteen. She was just finishing her second doctorate when you went to a series of her lectures. You asked quite a few poignant questions and she asked you to stay after. You’ve been research partners and friends since.”

“That’s…” Spencer had to sit down and wrap his head around that. “That’s almost exactly how it happened in my world. Things like that still throw me. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it.” 

Aaron moved to stand in front of Spencer. He cupped his cheek and lifted his face so that they were looking at each other.

“Why don’t we go celebrate. Foyet in custody, he won’t hurt anyone else, and the annoying bastard is finally being taken care of.”

Spencer for once could say that he thoroughly enjoyed the fact that this Aaron was a psychopath. He wanted to shake his head and laugh, but he didn’t. He stood and leaned in, kissing Aaron hotly, his body aching with need, but Aaron seemed to do that to him, constantly.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I want you to wear the outfit from Atlantic City, then I want to take you out to a special club for dinner. I noticed just how hot you get from watching Lady Heather and her sub and tonight is exhibition night.”

Spencer hated to admit that he wanted that more than anything at the moment. Leaning into Aaron he kissed him hard as he pressed up against him. It was going to be a very good night after all.

* * *

Spencer strolled through the club with his head held high even with the leash on the collar. He came to understand that it was a form of protection for him in the club. It marked him as Aaron’s and no one could touch him without permission. Spencer again found power in that. And in the looks that he was getting from those around him. Comments made about the exposed tattoo had him smiling to himself. He wasn’t sure where all this confidence was coming from, he wasn’t sure if it was Aaron, who treated him like he was the most important person in his world, or the way others reacted to him. The respect and sometimes awe that followed the name Dr. Spencer Reid around in this world was not something he was used to. 

Spencer liked the way the leather felt, the soft supple fabric moved with him but hugged his body tight. He was relaxed in a way that he had never been before, and it scared him still how easily he was slotting himself in this world. How he was changing, and being changed by Aaron. He smiled at the compliments and smirked at the looks he was getting. He was enjoying himself immensely when before a club would be a source of anxiety. Nothing Morgan or the team ever did had helped him settle when at a club, but now, it was all different. He was different, and he liked it.

“Hey, where did you go?” Aaron asked as he was pulled down into his lap, fingers playing with the simple silver rings in his nipples as a kiss was bussed against his cheek.

“Just thinking about how much I’m changing. Everything has happened so fast these last five months. But, being with you has changed me and I can’t say that I don’t like who I’m becoming. Now I’m scared that it won’t last if I ever get back to my world.” Spencer was seated on Aaron’s lap in such a way that his back was definitely on display. They were in a VIP booth near the stage. A bottle of Remy Martin Eau-de-vie De Vin was waiting for them as well as an amuse bouche of butter poached scallops with a mild sriracha sauce. Aaron bent forward and picked up the spoon that the scallop was sitting on and fed it to Spencer. Moaning in pleasure at the decadence of the moment, he wasn’t sure if it could truly get any better. Smiling after finishing his bite, he kissed Aaron letting his mouth fall open as his exposed flesh was explored. His cock was already hardening, and he knew that Aaron was going to keep him on edge all night.

Silently their small plates were taken away, the alcohol poured into two high-ball glasses with ice and plates of a salad of arugula, poached red anjou pears with bites of brie, toasted walnuts, and drizzled with a lavender honey vinaigrette. Aaron let Spencer sit next to him while they ate. The alcohol with its hint of pear and citrus paired well with the small salad. As they ate the first of the night entertainments began. To the surprise and delight of Spencer, Chantal Claret was the singer for the evening. She was one of his favorite modern singers. 

“Did you know she’s one of my favorites?” Spencer whispered as he leaned towards Aaron.

“It did not take a genius to figure out your music interests. I heard she was doing a private performance tonight and thought you’d enjoy it.” Aaron smiled.

“You just...I can see why your Spencer loves you so much. You indulge him every chance you get. I can’t help being a little jealous, that he got all these years with you.” 

Aaron reached over and cupped his cheek then kissed him.

“You should always be indulged Spencer. Don’t ever settle for less than what you know you deserve. When you go home, make him listen and if he doesn’t, if he won’t make you the most important thing in his life next to Jack, you find someone who will.”

Spencer’s breath caught in his throat. He had no words at the moment, so he just kissed Aaron harder. When he pulled back, he shyly looked up at the stage and the smile and wink he got from Chantal had him blushing. Their waiter came back and took their plates after setting down two cups of what looked to be a wild mushroom soup. Ales complementing the soup were poured and set next to the cups. Spencer took one of the cups and took a tentative sip. He almost groaned in pleasure at the rich, decadent broth. He took a sip of the ale and the dark, earthy flavor really did add to the richness of the soup. When he was done he relaxed back in Aaron’s arms. after a moment he was pulled back into Aaron’s lap, the man was doing everything he could to arouse Spencer. Touching, kissing his mouth, sliding lips along his neck, a hand on his covered cock and the elegant and indulgent food all worked to make Spencer achingly hard. 

“There’s my kitten. I’m going to keep you on edge all night, play with you till you beg me for relief, then take you home and make you fall apart in our bed. Do you want that Kitten?”

Spencer was panting as his eyes half closed against the onslaught of sensation. He knew the night wasn’t over and the torture was already exquisite.

“Yes,” Spencer moaned as he moved his hips to get more of Aaron’s hand on him.

“Uh uh, not yet Kitten. There is so much more to come.” 

The next couple of small plates were just as decadent and indulgent as the first. Shrimp lightly poached in olive oil, split open and laid out on a bed of cheese grits, drizzled with a chili oil. This was paired with a glass of a white crisp dry wine. Next came short ribs that had been braised all day then pan seared with a deep red wine glaze over them, a side of baby colored carrots in a maple glaze accompanied the meat. The same red wine was paired with the small cubes of beef. 

Spencer appreciated the fact that nothing was heavy and the plates were part of a special tasting menu. The alcohol didn’t get him drunk, thankfully, it just gave him a slight buzz. Aaron made sure he drank enough water to counter the effects.

Chantal had finished her set then moved off the stage. The lights dimmed just as a cheese and fruit plate was being set in front of Spencer and Aaron. Glasses of a late harvest riesling with hints of apples and strawberry was set next to the plate. They could take their time as they waited in anticipation for the next act.

The club was silent as a Saint Andrew’s cross was being moved to the center stage. A young man was already secured on it. His back to the audience. He only had on a pair of tight fitting bike shorts on, the rest of his body was exposed. His back was highlighted and Spencer could see the myriad of scars. He heard a hiss next to him and saw Aaron’s eyes glaze over a bit. He wondered what the older man was thinking, but he wouldn’t ask, not right then.

A man came out from the side of the stage and he was dressed only in a pair of tight leather pants. No shirt. He was thin, but you could tell he worked out. The wiry muscles on his frame looked good on him. He had a large dragon tattoo on his back that also ran down his arms in sleeves. He had piercings, and Spencer could already tell he was very much a dominant. Not just an Alpha, and moving in Aaron’s world he had learned quickly to discern the difference. Alpha and dominant did not always go hand in hand. He had met some of Aaron’s acquaintances that could be called beta’s, but with their partners, there was no question who the dominant was.

A bullwhip uncurled in the Dom’s hand and Spencer’s breath shallowed. He ground down into Aaron’s lap, his cock swelling even more in his tight pants as he anticipated the first strike.

“15 strikes, count every one of them my Boy, do you understand?” 

“Yes, Master.” The sub was already shaking in his own anticipation. 

Every strike against the sub had Spencer squirming. Aaron held him in an iron grip, but didn’t stop him moving around. Every so often he fed Spencer a piece of fruit, or a piece of cheese, a sip of the cool wine. The show, the continued touches and being fed was making Spencer’s brain short-circuit. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold on. He knew if he said it, they would leave and Aaron would do exactly as promised.

Spencer turned back to the stage, this time the crack of a riding crop and red welts were raised all over the sub's legs and back. The Dom made sure to ask how he was, to ply him with water and made sure he didn’t go too far. It was all so like Aaron and how he took care with Spencer and pushed his boundaries on what he could take. He was practically vibrating in Aaron’s arms and knew he wasn’t going to be able to take much more.

He felt more than saw Aaron signal their waiter, who rushed over discreetly. A few words between them and the waiter was gone, only to come back quickly with a couple of bags in his hand. A wine bag for the bottle of the Remy, and a small bag with food containers in them. Spencer felt the leash being attached and his head fell back on Aaron’s shoulder, his lips caressed the pulse point on Aaron’s neck and a soft chuckle escaped his Dom.

“Come on kitten. Let’s get you home, naked and laid out on the bed where I will have my way with you.”

Spencer couldn’t actually form words, he just slid out of Aaron’s lap and let himself be led discreetly out the side door so they didn’t disturb the performance. He was already floating on a high and that small voice in the back of his head tried to tell him he should be worried about this, but he ignored it like he had for the past few months. He wanted to enjoy this as much as possible.

It wasn’t long before they were home and making their way into the house and up to the bedroom. 

“Strip,” Aaron ordered as he leaned back, still clothed, against the dresser. Spencer didn’t hesitate. He was out of the outfit quickly, his cock was already hard and leaking. Aaron licked his lips as he took in the look of Spencer. 

“Get on the bed on your back.” Spencer scrambled up on it not even hesitating. He was shaking with need and anticipation as Aaron lifted his arms and cuffed him. The chain was shortened so that his arms stayed above his head. Cuffs that were tucked in between the mattresses were pulled out and his thighs were cuffed, then his ankles. A chain was attached to the thigh cuffs and ran down to the ankles, keeping Spencer’s legs bent. Another set of chains then attached to the thigh cuffs and attached to the headboard, keeping his legs spread wide. 

Aaron shed his clothes, then grabbed the bottle of lube and a clean towel and kneed up on the bed between Spencer’s spread legs.

“This will not be quick. Like I said, I want to play with you and you will only come when I tell you, not before. Understand?”

Spencer swallowed as his eyes were blown with a combination of lust, need and desire.

“Yes.”

“Do I need to cage you?”

“No. I promise, I’ll maintain.”

“Hmm, that sounds like a challenge,” Aaron growled as he covered Spencer’s body with his own and took his mouth in a hard kiss. Spencer’s mouth fell open in a gasp and Aaron took the opportunity to thrust his tongue inside. He ground against Spencer, keeping him hard. Aaron trailed his tongue along Spencer’s jaw, then slid along his neck. Using his teeth he pulled on the collar eliciting a hiss from Spencer. Chuckling Aaron continued his assault with his mouth as he moved along, marking Spencer by sucking deep bruises along his chest. With his tongue he played with the nipple rings, pulling not so gently. Spencer cried out and tried to thrust up, but the way he was being held in the cuffs and chains he couldn’t move much.

“Completely at my mercy.” Aaron lightly bit at Spencer’s hip before finally taking the hard cock in his mouth. The metal of the piercing felt odd at first, but Aaron quickly found a rhythm that worked. Using his tongue he played with the curved bar making Spencer harden even more.

“Sir, oh god please,” Spencer begged as it all started to become too much. Aaron pulled off as he cupped Spencer’s ass and spread him open even more. 

“Not yet Kitten. Not even close to finishing with you.” Aaron smiled at the whine that came from his sub as he licked a stripe across Spencer’s hole. He heard the jerk of the chains, but kept going. By the time he had Spencer worked open with just his tongue, the younger man was begging for release. The sheen of sweat that covered his body as he struggled to hold on was intoxicating to Aaron. He pulled away, then grabbed the bottle of lube. He slicked-up his cock and lined himself up with the now loose hole. 

“Look at me Kitten.” Aaron pushed authority into his voice and waited till Spencer opened his eyes and was looking at him. “That’s it, keep your eyes on me, don’t look away beautiful.” When he had Spencer’s full attention Aaron pushed in and didn’t stop till he was fully seated inside Spencer. 

“So tight, god you feel so good.” Aaron fucked into Spencer long and slow, keeping him on that knife edge. Spencer was watching him as Aaron looked down at his cock sliding in and out of that glorious heat that was Spencer. “Shall I let you come then fuck you through your release? Huh Kitten?” Aaron purred as the pace picked up just a bit.

“Yes, please yes, anything, anything you want just please let me come,” Spencer begged and when he was almost to the point of tears Aaron grabbed his cock and fisted him tight, jerking him hard till he was screaming and coming. His body jerked and Aaron’s eyes closed in ecstasy as Spencer pulsed hard around him. Using the cloth to wipe his hand, he gripped Spencer’s hips and fucked into him harder and faster. He cried out as he pushed in one last time and came. He didn’t collapse, he slowly laid on top of Spencer, taking his mouth in greedy kisses as he pumped a few more times making Spencer cry out into his mouth.

Aaron sat up and pulled out, then slowly unchained Spencer, picked him up and took him to the bath. Spencer was floating, his mind empty and his body limp. By the time he was back in bed with the cuffs around him he was already falling asleep. When Aaron settled at his back, the weight of his arm around him, he was smiling as he passed into that sweet oblivion, happy and content.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer opened the door to his apartment and was shocked when the alarm didn't beep at him. He pulled his gun and took a few steps inside, aiming at the area of the apartment that he couldn't see from the door. Aaron was sitting on the couch with the printed journals scattered around him. There were also the letters that Diana had wrote to him after he had got back, and the other Spencer's journals scattered around as well. Spencer moved to the gun safe on his desk and opened it, putting up his gun. He turned around and Aaron was still just sitting there on the couch, looking at something. Spencer was happy that he hadn't put anything about the people he had killed in those. 

Turning towards the kitchen, Spencer filled a glass with water and sipped at it as he watched Aaron. The man looked up at him, his face full of shock. 

"Just remember that there will be no way to prove that I am not your Spencer and if you do anything to undermine me, your Spencer will pay for that when he makes it back." Spencer watched his face as his words sunk in.

"I was just going to surprise you. That I got off work early, Jack's having dinner at a friend's. I got here and you weren't here, so I was looking for something to read. Nothing here in the living room sounded good. So I went to your office. It was sitting out and I glanced at it."

"Curiosity killed the cat and what not. So what has you more upset? That you never figured it out when it happened, or that it seriously took you this long?" Spencer set down the water and moved towards his lover. "Or that Diana Reid knew from seeing me on TV?"

"You had differences but I..." Aaron trailed off. He looked at the books again and then at Spencer. "Those scars...what happened to you? And don't lie."

"Like you would be able to tell if I was lying." Spencer leaned into the island that separated the kitchen from the living room. He looked at Aaron and felt pity. It was a strange emotion for him to be feeling. He pitied those that were weak, yes but he'd never really felt pity for someone who wasn't weak. "I've lied my ass off for months and no one has noticed but a schizophrenic who hadn't even met me, knew that I wasn't her son. She knew from the first fucking second that she saw me on a TV. Profilers my ass. You can see the minute differences in everyone else but not Spencer Reid."

"You don't-"

"I don't what?" Spencer cut Aaron off. "I don't understand? I don't know how this team works? I've been living with this team for three months, hiding as a damned FBI Agent and no one has been the wiser. I've been fucking you for months and you never noticed. Which you are lucky I did. If that had been me from the beginning, I never would have gave you the time of day. Keeping a boundary between Jack and me, no matter the intention. You hurt him and he kept quiet because he wanted to show you that he wasn't going to leave. He prayed and hoped that you would see that he wanted to know Jack, to come to love him and you just kept him away. Begging like a dog for scraps at the dinner table."

Aaron was up and in front of Spencer before he even realized it. The slap came from nowhere. Spencer looked at Aaron, stared at him. He expected to feel something but he didn't he didn't feel fear, anger, he didn't feel anything at all. There was a numbness inside of him. 

"What? Are you afraid of what I am saying? How did you think that what you were doing was going to be stable enough for a relationship to last. He knew what he was getting into. He talked to his mother for fuck's sake about what he could do to try and get you to see that he wanted to be around Jack more and in more meaningful ways. He asked his mother who barely had a hand in raising him for advice on children." Spencer knew that what he was saying wasn't going to be the best thing that he could say but he didn't care. The look in Aaron's eyes was dangerous. Spencer wondered exactly how far he could get the man to go. 

"You know nothing!" Aaron spat at him but Spencer didn't stop. He didn't want to.

"I know a lot of things. I know a lot more than you."

"I should have known that you weren't Spencer. Jumping into bed with me the first moment that you got here. What are you in your world? A two bit whore? I can't believe that I never noticed you were using sex to control me."

Spencer laughed. There wasn't anything else that he could do. He laughed until his sides hurt and ignored the pissed man in front of him. He fell to his ass on the floor and tried to breathe. Aaron was looking at him like he was insane. 

"Even just going by what I've learned, I'd garner a lot more than even most escorts. Your Spencer is rather uneducated compared to me. In sex, well, there aren't a lot more that know more than me."

"Who the hell would want you with those scars?" Aaron asked. He moved away from Spencer, slumping down onto the chair that faced the area of the room where Spencer was. 

Spencer looked at him and saw that he really didn't get it. He hadn't followed the train of thought into what his Spencer was doing, who he was with. Spencer stood up and moved over towards him. Aaron's hands clenched as Spencer straddled his lap. 

"Think about it Aaron," Spencer said as he pulled his shirt off. He grabbed Aaron's hand and laid it over the rune on his heart. Spencer took Aaron's other hand and traced it over the thin scars on his chest. "Who would want to mark me like this?"

"You told Ford that it was your Sir, but told me that you lied."

"Which one do you think was the lie?" Spencer whispered.

"Why?" Aaron asked, sounding wrecked. He wouldn't look up into Spencer's face, his eyes locked on the rune. Aaron's thumb traced the edge of it. 

"Because it marks me as his." Spencer watched as Aaron traced his scars. 

"What's he going to think when you return to him. After letting me have you?" 

"Why do you think he hasn't had your Spencer every which way that he could?" Spencer asked. 

Aaron grabbed him by his throat. Spencer didn't even move. He just stared at the eyes that were finally looking at him. 

"Your Spencer isn't going to come back the sweet, little innocent thing that he was. I doubt he's going to be soft at all. Not going to let you get away with anything." Spencer pressed into the hand on his throat, letting his eyes drop in pleasure. He purred when the hand squeezed just a little more. 

"But is he going to be treated well?" Aaron asked, his voice hoarse.

"Could you ever hurt me? In a meaningful way, Aaron? Everything single scar you see on me I consented to. If your Spencer doesn't, nothing will be on him."

"Who has him Spencer? Who has my Spencer?" 

"Do you think that I would jump into bed with the first man who turned my head here? Yes, I used sex to try and manipulate you, but think about it..." Spencer stared into Aaron's eyes, the man was looking at him a little lost. Like he was putting pieces of a puzzle together without all of them there. 

"Me?" Aaron asked, his hand tracing the scars again, but his other was still wrapped around his throat. His eyes moved down his chest, tracing his scars as his fingers did. His fingers on his neck relaxed, but didn't move away instead they traced the line that had to be really looked for to find the line where his collar used to lay. "Go get your collar."

Spencer slid off his lap, not even trying to hide the erection that he was sporting. He moved to the bedroom and slid his hand under the pillow where he kept the collar. He slipped it on and opened the drawer to take out the cuffs, slipping them on as well. He wasn't sure what Aaron was thinking, Aaron's mind was too blown and it would be erratic. Spencer slipped all of his clothes off. He looked at the floor length mirror and tousled his hair to make it unruly. He stepped back into the living room and stayed right there at the door. Aaron wasn't sitting down anymore. He was standing at the back of the couch. There was a bottle of bourbon out on the counter and a glass beside it. The glass was still dry though. 

"What does he call you?" Aaron asked. 

"Pet."

"What were your plans if you never went home? Turn me into him?"

"You'd never be him. Not that way. There are fundamental differences. I'd make you as close as I could though."

"And my Spencer is..." Aaron finally turned towards him and looked. He inhaled, taking in Spencer's naked skin. His eyes paused at his wrists with the cuffs and then stayed a long time on his neck. "Being turned into you?"

"As much as he can be." Spencer wasn't sure if this calm Aaron was good or bad. 

"I know your mind. What point does your lives split?" Aaron asked.

"Technically there are two points. Riley Jenkins and his kidnapping and eventual death was the first. My Diana saw what was done to the man who killed him whereas your Spencer's didn't. That tipped her psychosis to the violent end. Then again when William Reid left. When he did leave me, it was violent as well. Your Spencer was just a note that was left that didn't explain it anymore than the man had already done when he'd physically left the house. That gave my mother a deeper dive into her violent psychosis."

"What happened?" Aaron asked. 

"Diana took me to William's office and I caught the eye of my Aaron. I was fourteen so he was just turned thirty. He became obsessed in that instant and knew that something was wrong. So he used his contacts to get the address of where she and I lived. Diana was in the grips of a very violent episode and she'd already cut me pretty badly across my chest. He heard my scream and bust down the door. Aaron killed her protecting me."

"Fourteen?" Aaron looked at the glass that was sitting there but he didn't step up to it and pour any. The lesson that Spencer had taught him in Vegas was still there in the front of his mind, keeping him from doing anything that would stop him from getting what he wanted, what he thought he needed. "He took you at the age of fourteen."

"He made sure that he got custody of me. William tried to fight it but he'd left me with a mother who was at the whims of her violent psychosis. His parental rights were severed in hours and Aaron signed papers on me in those hours."

"How?"

"What Aaron wants he gets and he has the money and the contacts to get it. The single psychologist that I saw in the hours afterward pretty much made sure that I'd never be separated from Aaron. I was unresponsive unless he was in the room with me. I'd bonded to him as a protector. I didn't feel safe without him. Time and distance helped to let me know that I was safe but by then I was in DC and away from Vegas and I didn't think of William again." Spencer left off that he'd spent those four years perfecting the perfect way that he wanted to kill him. 

"He's a...No, he would have got rid of you before now." Aaron looked him up and down and it didn't take much to figure out what he was talking about.

"Aaron never touched me sexualy until after I was eighteen. He was..." Spencer cocked his head to the side to look at Aaron. There wasn't a single line of anger left on his body. He wasn't relaxed but he wasn't upset. Intrigued was more it. Spencer moved over towards him, Aaron's eyes devouring him as he did it. Spencer flowed to his knees in front of Aaron, hands going behind his back but he looked up at him. "Aaron knew what I needed and gave it to me. He taught me to be able to process and understand my emotions. He taught me how to find the words when they were stuck in my throat. He built me up after my mother had taken me down."

"So much make sense now...exactly how many degrees do you have?"

"Aaron has very hard kink for me and getting degrees. I have seven PhDs, five masters, and recently completed my third BA. He indulged me from a young age. Getting me into college as soon as we got settled in DC. I'd completed high school at twelve. I never lived on campus though and had a driver and a guard that went with me everywhere."

"He marked you as his possession."

"With my consent. I am his. I am his body, mind, and soul. The only thing that would make me want to live in a world without him is our son."

"Your son?"

"Jack. Our Jack is ten."

"You were using him to force my hand."

"Yes. I am a master at manipulation. You were hurting your Spencer though and I wasn't going to live like that."

"This happened when the explosion happened." Aaron reached out his hand and traced his thumb over the side of Spencer's mouth. There was a small flare of pain. He hissed and tried to lean back but Aaron's other hand shot out and grabbed his hair. "I split your lip. Just a little here. I'm sorry."

"I was pushing you. Believe me if I feared you, you would know it and you would not be allowed around me." Spencer licked at the thumb that was still there on his lips. He let his eyes drop briefly to Aaron's pants, he was hard. 

"Are you going to keep doing that? Manipulate me?"

"No. You have the truth and know that protecting me is paramount. Anyone who suspects that I am not your Spencer is going to question my sanity and given our mother's sanity, he could lose his position. I have done everything that I can to make sure that I keep his life as stable as I can. I know that my Aaron is going to do everything that he can to get me back and he's going to make sure that Spencer has all that he needs. I cannot approach Charlie here because I'm not going to be able to hide that I am not Spencer from him. I've been ducking his calls since I came here. I've used work to do that."

"Did you find this apartment or did my Spencer?"

"Your Spencer. He had signed the paperwork just before we swapped. I figure that he would have told you at the date. Work would not be a place to discuss that and on the whole, this building is a lot better than his was. The fact that you are on the other side of that wall is just a bonus to me."

Aaron didn't say anything and Spencer didn't move. His eyes were locked on Aaron's as the man thought about things. His thumb was still pressed to his lips, subtly rubbing. Spencer parted his lips and let the thumb sink into his mouth. He licked at the small fleck of his own blood. Aaron pushed his thumb all the way inside before he pulled it just to the tip. Spencer sucked it back in. 

"Tell me the main difference between him and I," Aaron demanded as he pulled his thumb out the entire way. He moved over to the chair that he had been in before. Spencer turned his head to watch him and he settled down in the chair with his legs spread, it outlined his cock in his work pants and made Spencer's mouth water. "Come here."

Spencer smirked and instead of standing up and walking or even shuffling over on his knees, he stalked over to his lover on hands and knees. Aaron's breathing turned shallow and even the tightness of his pants didn't stop the fact that he twitched when Spencer just barely brushed up the side of his cock with his nose. Aaron's hands twitched and Spencer nudged his head up into one, it buried itself in his hair and held him right there. 

"You are a little temptress. Tell me."

"Aaron loves Jack and I and that's pretty much where it ends. Everyone else is a tool to him."

"He's a psychopath is what you are telling me."

Spencer pouted and made his eyes just a little wider. "Don't put words in my mouth." Spencer fought the hold on his hair but it didn't relent just followed him as he moved. He drug his bottom lip up the cloth covered cock. 

"Do you want something else in your mouth?" Aaron's grip on his hair turned steel strong and held him there as he worked his zipper open. The smell of his arousal and the scent of sweat hit Spencer's nose. "Then quit playing words games."

Spencer groaned at the hard tone. "The main difference is love. You are addicted to love. You loved Haley wholly and unconditionally and you needed that to be enough to keep her happy. You fall in love before you should because you love that feeling that it gives. Your Spencer just wants anything in the world that is special. Him loving you was perfect for you because you know that he wouldn't leave. My Aaron loves Jack and he loves me and he gives his all to us. But if we weren't around he'd be exactly as he is. That's the main difference you need love and he doesn't."

"What does he do? What do you do?"

"For a living?" Spencer asked, he didn't try and move closer to the cock that was so close to his mouth but he breathed harder, letting the hot air from his mouth caress it. Aaron worked his buckle open and then his button. He wiggled and freed his cock fully from it's underwear, pushing it all down but keeping Spencer where he was. Spencer shivered and moaned. 

"Yes. Doing what I want will get you a reward. So tell me what I want to know and you can have your mouth around my cock." 

Spencer whimpered a little at the image in his head before he started to talk. "Aaron is a lawyer one of the best in the country. He and a few other men run their own firm but Aaron holds the most power. He only loses a case when he wants to and to keep just under the radar as far as that goes. I'm his law assistant and I have been since I was twenty."

"And you wear his collar all the time?"

"Yes. I used to get stares but now I don't."

"If he's so big as a lawyer what does the media think of the collar?"

"Oh, when it comes to our relationship and the media, we are little darlings. The stars of the limelight. Nothing we do gets us bad press. Of course, our style of life is a little more...not quite mainstream but at least well enough known and psychologically documented that no one even thinks twice about it."

"So you have very open relationship and given how many degrees you have, exactly how much money do you have?"

"I don't really know. I have an account that is all mine and money that I get from patents and other things go into that but I don't touch it often except for gifts for Aaron and Jack. Aaron handles that. Aaron on the other hand I've heard people saying that he has more money than God. I don't really care to know so I don't pay attention. I've not drained your Spencer's money. I have spent a good bit of what he had in savings but I built it back up in Atlantic City and with a few other legal things." 

"Atlantic City, with that man Jackson, was when I started to really look and then it all just didn't fit. I wasn't looking when I came in here but I...I couldn't pass up reading that. Then it all just spiraled." Aaron's hand relaxed and released Spencer's hair. Spencer leaned down and took his cock in his mouth. He was promised cock for telling the truth and he was going to take what he wanted. Aaron gave him a little time of doing what he wanted and then there was a hand in his hair again. It held him in place. "I want-fuck. I want what we did before. Can I do that?"

Spencer didn't pulled off to answer, he just settled in, relaxed back onto his legs, giving himself over. Aaron shifted to where he could better fuck into Spencer's mouth. Sliding all the way into the back before coming back out. The hand in his hair tightened to the perfect point of pain that he wanted, that he craved. 

"Your mouth. I can't help but think about how jealous I was of your past lovers. Thinking of how many men had used you for you to be at good at sex as you are. And this entire time, I've been jealous of another me. You've been made to take my cock. Made to react to me." Aaron panted as he thrust in and out. His breathing was labored and Spencer knew that it wouldn't be long until he came in his mouth. Spencer sucked hard as Aaron thrust into him, taking away Spencer's ability to breathe as the older man's cock swelled and he came down his throat. Spencer remained calm, waiting and being perfect as Aaron found release in his throat. "You are perfect."

Aaron pulled out of him and Spencer chased a small drop on the head of his cock as it popped from his mouth. Aaron pulled him into a kiss that was hard and just what he needed. When the older man pulled back, he also stood up, dragging Spencer with him. He was taken to the bedroom. 

"Sit." 

Spencer sat down on the edge of the bed and watched as Aaron moved around the room, looking at things. He was pretty sure that Aaron was looking for toys but Spencer didn't use them. Orgasms were for Aaron and Aaron only and being in a different world wouldn't change that part of him that much. He didn't even move to touch himself at all. Instead he just watched Aaron as he looked at his clothes, the boxes with the letters from Diana. It wasn't a lover looking at a room, it was a profiler trying to figure out every single little detail.

"You don't masterbate?" Aaron asked.

"No."

"Why?" Aaron paused in looking at the suits in the closet to turn and look at him. 

"I don't orgasm until permission is given. Masterbation is only done when Aaron allows it and is watching."

"You've-" Aaron stopped and narrowed his eyes, looking at him hard. "You are sneaky. Did you buy restraints for the cuffs?"

"Yes. But to sleep with. I sleep at night in our bed with cuffs. I have since I was fourteen. Aaron learned that it helped me to sleep. After we got here to DC Aaron gave me my own bedroom and it didn't quite work out the way he thought. Before when we were in Vegas as custody was being taken care of, we shared a room. I could hear him breathing and knew that I was safe, but when we came here while we were in the same wing, I couldn't hear him. He'd wake up with me in bed with him. Mostly clinging to him. I asked about the cuffs and the chain and he tried it on me. After that we both slept clothed in the same bed. I'm sure that whatever house staff was cleaning the rooms were silenced. I don't remember much about them as I tried to stay away from everyone."

"You are still hard...you have impressive skills."

"I'm not allowed to do anything unless Aaron says. Getting hard is allowed when things are sexual or he's already hard but I have to stay hard."

"How long can you stay hard?" Aaron asked as he started to strip naked. His cock was still soft from the blowjob but the look in his eye had Spencer making sure he kept an eye on him at all times. The scars on Aaron's chest and stomach from Foyet and his blade rape were immediately eye catching to Spencer. 

"How ever long you need me to." Spencer watched Aaron watching him and stayed still when the man stepped up to him. Aaron's hands went right for his skin on his back, rubbing downwards. Spencer shivered. 

"Get up on the bed on your stomach. Don't come. Not until I am inside of you," Aaron murmured. Spencer did as he asked but didn't even try and guess how Aaron wanted him to lay. He laid his hands under the pillow so he could grab the bed and even push the pillow into his mouth. Aaron straddled his ass, his fingers going to the scars on his back. It was like he was learning them all. "He placed every single one of these on you on purpose didn't you?"

"Yes." Spencer buried his head in the pillow as his body was inspected. It shouldn't have been as erotic as it was but by the time that the man reached his feet, Spencer was rutting into the sheets on the bed to try and relieve at least a little of the ache of his cock. 

"Don't come," Aaron growled in his ear as his hand cracked him on the ass. Spencer clamped down with the muscles in his groin and stomach to stop himself from coming. Spencer felt hands on his knees, kind of pushing them under himself so he got to his hands and knees. Aaron had found the chain and hooked it to his cuffs, pulling it a little tight to where Spencer had to lay with his chest on the bed. "Safeword?"

"Vicaria" Spencer said as Aaron's hand trailed down his back and his thumb just edged between his cheeks, pressing slightly on his hole. Just as it lifted away, a second crack came down on his ass. The strikes that followed were hesitant and unsure and nothing like he'd ever had before. His Aaron wasn't ever hesitant, wasn't ever unsure that what he was doing to Spencer was unwelcome. Even that first time of helping him get his words unstuck, Aaron had been sure and in his element. It wasn't long before Spencer's ass was on fire and was slowly working past what was pleasurable to him. Still he kept his new safeword locked in his throat. He bit into the pillow to stop himself from screaming out his safeword or even the word stop from his throat. He was so focused inward that he didn't notice when the strikes stopped. He felt something brush his hole again and expected a strike there but instead, he felt the head of Aaron's cock lineup and start to push inside of him. 

Yet, Aaron stopped and pulled out. Spencer opened his mouth to ask what was wrong but stopped when he felt hands on him. He was turned gently on the bed and Aaron slipped between his legs, breaching him from a new angle and not stopping the slide inside of him until he was flush against Spencer's ass. 

"When did he first take you?" Aaron asked as he fucked him slowly. 

"My eighteenth birthday. We went out to eat to celebrate and I seduced him. He allowed it and knew what I was doing but I wanted him to know that I wanted it."

"What happened?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer's mind blanked a little at the thought of this Aaron having narratophilia. It would work well for the other Spencer when he got back, telling Aaron of his time with his Aaron. 

"When we got home and were alone in our wing, I begged him to be allowed to suck his cock." Spencer grabbed the chain that was keeping his arms above his head that way he had something to hold onto. "I'd only watched porn at that point in my life. I knew that he was shaping my sexual preferences into what he wanted. I'd wake up with an erection and he taught me how to get off. But it was also making it so that I associated him with pleasure and when I would try and jerk off any other time, I never quite got there. By the time I was fifteen, I couldn't get hard unless he was around by sixteen I wasn't even waking up with a morning erection unless he was around. He'd bought me toys. A plug, a masturbation sleeve, and anal beads. I only showered when Aaron was home for the first few years but as I got used to it, I would use my shower time for fantasies. I imagined our first time so many times."

Spencer jerked on the cuffs holding him to the bed and tried to shift his position but Aaron grabbed his legs and held him there. He was looking down, watching his cock slide in and out of him as he pumped his hips. Spencer groaned as he was opened up even more, his legs pressed into his chest. He was totally at Aaron's mercy.

"Did he let you suck his cock?" 

"Yes. He taught me how to suck his cock." Spencer groaned as Aaron sped up his thrusts. "But he didn't come in my mouth. I was hard and leaking by the time that he was done with my mouth. He stretched me out on our bed and took his time getting me ready. I was used to fingering myself open, playing with the beads, and plugging myself. He used it as foreplay. I begging and pleading by the time he finally pulled his fingers out of me."

Aaron sped up his thrusts even more and each one was as hard as he could make them. 

"And when he slid inside of me for the first time, I felt whole. I felt loved. I felt cherished and protected. I'd already been in love with him for a while but that made me fall again. Afterward, I was ushered into the shower and just being in there with him, in the same shower as all of my fantasies, I got hard."

"What did he do?" Aaron was close to orgasm, his breath was coming in harsh, sharp pants. 

"He dropped to his knees and gave me a blowjob. It didn't take long at all and I was a babbling mess by the end of it but Aaron just washed me off and escorted me to the bedroom. It was the first night that we slept naked together in the bed. In the time since then we have only slept with clothes on when one of us doesn't feel well or Jack doesn't feel well and he wants to sleep with us."

"So he was gentle his first time?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer gasped as Aaron shifted position to where he was draped all along his upper body, pressing him down into the bed, his legs still trapped to his chest. Aaron wasn't going to stop it seemed. He didn't stop at all. Fucking him hard and fast. 

"Yes."

"When did he first mark you?" Aaron's hand laid over the rune on his chest and Spencer tried to hold in the scream as he held in his orgasm, stopping it because he wasn't allowed. 

"The whip marks started as soon as he took the whip to me the first time but these," Spencer's eyes moved downward towards his chest. "All after I turned eighteen and the rune. Fuck, Aaron please. Please, can I come?" 

"Yes."

Spencer came and let the scream out. His back bowed and he heard the creak of the headboard as he pulled on the chain secured to it. Aaron didn't stop fucking him, fucking him right through his orgasm. Spencer slumped to the bed as Aaron pulled out of him. He whimpered a little as he knew that Aaron hadn't come yet. Aaron shushed him and started to kiss down his chest, licking at the drops of release on his skin before bypassing his soft cock and balls and moved down his thigh. 

"Every single mark shows that you are his correct?" Aaron asked.

"Yes." Spencer was tired. Being allowed to relax with Aaron knowing who he was, not having to keep up all the pretenses all the time. He felt the scrape of teeth on his thigh and shivered. He didn't know what Aaron had planned to get himself off but he was looking forward to it. The teeth moved from inner thigh to upper and just slightly on the inside. Just as he thought that it was a good spot to injure because there was no risk of bleeding out, he felt the teeth close around his flesh and bite down. It wasn't a nip for play, it was a full on bite. Spencer tried to sit up but Aaron's hands were holding him down by his chest. His body weight was along the leg that he was biting. Spencer was trapped with no hope of rolling away because of the restraints and the weight on his leg. He felt his flesh rip and still Aaron pressed down, harder. The pain, mental and physical was too much for Spencer and he passed out.

Spencer opened his eyes in a mostly dark bedroom. He looked around and tried to figure out where he was because this wasn't his apartment. Then he saw the picture of Aaron and Jack on the dresser and knew that he was in Aaron's bedroom. He rolled to his back, finding that he was cuffed to the bed. He followed the link from his cuffs up to the headboard. It wasn't tied the best to there but it would be good enough for his own mentality. He'd fix it later. Looking around, Spencer tried again to figure out what was going on. On the nightstand on his side of the bed was a note and a small pile of pills. He recognized pain relievers as well as a starting dose of antibiotics.

The bite!

Spencer kicked the covers off of his body and looked down at the stark white gauze bandage on his thigh. There were a few drops of blood on the outer bit of the gauze. There was only a little bit of pain so whatever Aaron had done to bind it up was working. 

"He robbed me of my first time with Spencer. It won't be the same, no matter when I get him back. That is payback," Aaron said from the side of the room. Spencer turned his head to look at him. Aaron was dressed in sleep pants and that was it. Spencer looked at the clock on Aaron's side of the bed, it was late but it didn't look like Aaron had been sleeping at all. "Given what I see of you and what you have told me of him, he's going to mark Spencer in some way. He's going to be changed so it's only fair that you are changed, marked by your time with me. I wanted to wait until you woke up before going to sleep. I was afraid of a nightmare or something like that."

"I rarely have nightmares when I'm cuffed." Spencer kept his freak out internal. He wasn't sure how his Aaron was going to react to the bite and the scar that Spencer knew would form from it. "Even less when Aaron is with me. So come to bed."

"You aren't...mad?" Aaron asked.

"I can't change what happened and all I can do is tell Aaron the facts and wait to take whatever he feels I deserve from it. There is no sense in worrying about it. I can't do anything right now and to worry is stupid. Aaron is fair, he won't hurt me for it. He might be upset but he won't take it out on me. I'm safe with him." Spencer didn't say that he was safer with his Aaron than he was with him and this Aaron had proved that. Spencer rolled to his side and as soon as Aaron got onto the bed and under the covers, he rolled right to Spencer's back and wrapped himself around him. The man helped him take the pills and made him drink a glass of water. Spencer could almost make himself believe that it was his Aaron and that Jack would come running into the room in the morning and jump into bed with them. Almost.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

“Should I even ask where we are going?” Spencer looked to the side at Aaron as he sat trying not to fidget. They had left the house and Aaron hadn’t told him where they were headed as of yet.

“We need to have a conversation with AD John Richmond. He has let the BAU run rampant under Foyet’s hand. I’m surprised that the Director hasn’t actually fired him. We will give him one chance to make this right.”

“You mean one chance to do it your way.”

“No, one chance to do it _your_ way Spencer. They have been lax in what they should be doing. I don’t abide by the violence against children and women. From what you have told me, your BAU does what it can to try to make it a little safer for them in this world. We need to get the FBI to get back to that.”

“And if he refuses?”

“Do you need to ask that Kitten?”

Spencer looked out the window and knew that Aaron would kill John if he didn’t comply. He had looked up John in this world and it had made him sad. The man he looked up to, that had become his sponsor and confidant when he couldn’t talk to anyone else, wasn’t this John Richmond. He didn’t know what they were going to find when they got to his house and Spencer prepared himself. 

Before long they pulled onto John’s street, but parked around the corner. When they got out, Aaron tucked Spencer next to him, they were just a couple out strolling for the evening. When they got to John’s house Aaron rang the doorbell and smiled charmingly at the valet that opened the door. They were shown into a sitting room off to the side of the entryway. They talked small talk till the man they came to see walked in.

“Mr. Hotchner, Dr. Reid, I’m not sure why you are both here.” John eyed them both warily as he stood and crossed his arms.

Spencer was shocked at how the man looked. Dark circles under his eyes, his face puffy with too much drinking. Little blown capillaries across his face told Spencer that this John had not sought out help for his addictions. His eyes swung to Aaron as he stood to his full 6’2” and crossed his arms glaring at the AD.

“We are here to talk about Foyet and the future of the BAU.”

“I’m not sure how that is any of your business Mr. Hotchner. What happens in the FBI is my business.”

Aaron didn’t rush at him, no he stalked the AD, fire shown in his eyes as he backed the man up against the wall. He put one hand at the side of John’s head and leaned in, intimidation rolled through his whole being.

“Foyet is my business. He became my business when he decided to make it his personal mission to try to ruin me. He’s been a thorn in my side for years and no one in your precious FBI had the goddamned balls to do anything about it.” Aaron lifted a hand and played with the knot on John’s tie, his eyes boring into the man. Spencer was standing next to them, a strange kind of rage was sitting in his stomach. He knew this wasn’t his John, but he was angry that the man let Foyet run rampant. 

John tried to square his shoulders as he glared back at Aaron.

“What do you want?”

“For you to disband the current BAU and start fresh. Put Kate Callahan as Unit Chief and Alex Blake as her lead profiler.”

“And if I don’t agree to this? If I tell you to go fuck yourself?”

Aaron squeezed the tie he was still holding and his eyes went flat and cold.

“Then you will find certain documents about not only your drinking and drug use, but your penchant for using FBI funds to visit the local strip joints on FBI time will find their way into the hands of the Director. As well as evidence that you let Foyet run his little team unchecked. Something should have been done when Chief Strauss went missing. Your current Section Chief has no idea what he’s doing. You have house cleaning to do Richmond, I suggest you do it.”

Aaron stood away from the AD with his arms crossed waiting for the man’s answer.

Even though this wasn’t his John, Spencer felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment. John was his sponsor, someone he cared about that he could tell his secrets to and not be judged for them. This man was a shadow of the man that Spencer knew and it _hurt_. For the first time since coming to this world someone had truly let him down, even if they didn’t know it. Intellectually he knew he shouldn’t feel this pain, but he did. He couldn’t watch anymore. With a frown and his gut twisting inside him he spun on his heels and went back to the car. He didn’t care if Aaron punished him later, he’d take the punishment, it was better than seeing what John had become.

When Spencer got to the car he dug into the trunk and grabbed the stiff cuffs from the bag Aaron always kept them in. He put them on himself, then curled up in the front seat, laying his head on the car window. His heart was breaking, even if it was irrational. He knew his John was okay, that he had beat back his demons and was helping others. But seeing what he could have become, was heartbreaking. He just had to keep telling himself that John was okay, that he would be able to go see him first thing if he got back. Those thoughts kept him somewhat calm, but he still felt the tears trailing down his face. He closed his eyes and wished for it to all go away.

Spencer was being nudged awake. He hadn’t realized he fell asleep.

“You left.” He heard the hard tone in Aaron’s voice and knew he had upset his lover. 

“I couldn’t stay there. I couldn’t look at him. I don’t care if you punish me, I just couldn’t watch anymore.”

Aaron was silent as he drove them home. When they got out of the car and into the house Spencer started to head towards the playroom in anticipation of whatever punishment Aaron was going to inflict on him. When all Aaron did was wrap his fingers around his upper arms and steer them towards the bedroom, he was confused. After they entered, Aaron undressed him, then went to his closet and grabbed some sleep pants and a t-shirt and told him to put those on. Then he was pulled to the bed where he was gathered on Aaron’s lap and held close.

“Tell me Kitten. Make me understand what happened.”

“In my world, John is my sponsor. He’s been clean for twenty years. He’s helped council many other law enforcement officers. He helped me through a difficult case then just continued helping. I respect and care about him. Seeing what he could have become? That hurt Aaron. He’s a good man, that wasn’t him I know, but…” 

“He’s still John to you.” Aaron took a deep breath and held Spencer closer to him. He fisted his hand in Spencer’s hair, trying to soothe him.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

“He will play ball. Kate gets the team, Blake as her second and you will help make recommendations on the rest. Files will be sent to the office. Once you sort through the candidates, Kate will come meet with you. I made Richmond call Kate while I was there. Also a new section chief will be chosen who will have better oversight of the BAU.”

“Good.” Spencer just burrowed against Aaron trying to figure out his emotions. He was exhausted and just wanted to go back to sleep. Aaron though, had a different idea.

“Why don’t you get Jack and we’ll go to the den and watch a movie.”

Spencer pulled away and frowned in confusion.

“You aren’t punishing me?”

“I think you’re putting yourself through enough punishment Spencer. Remember that your John is still there and still the person you care about. Besides I didn’t give you any orders, so no rules were broken. Come on, up. Popcorn, M&M’s and Jack are what you need.” Spencer stood and waited for Aaron to change into sleep pants and t-shirt. The walked arm-in-arm to Jack’s room where he was reading on his Galaxy Tablet, lying on the Snorlax bed. Spencer had been more than happy that the boy liked it and used it quite often.

“Dad, Pops, I’m almost finished with my book.”

“Hey buddy, wanted to see if you want to go in the den and watch a movie.” Jack put his tablet away and jumped off the bean bag. 

“Sure,” he exclaimed excitedly.

“Change into your pajamas, we’ll pull the couch out and lounge on it.” Jack’s face lit up and it didn’t take him long to change. By the time they were all snuggled on the pull out with popcorn, drinks and candy between them, Spencer was feeling more settled. When Jack crawled into his lap, he smiled as he wrapped an arm around him and held him close. It was then as the movie was starting that he realized what Jack had called him and for a moment he felt an overwhelming rush of love for the boy. He had been accepted by Jack and loved. He looked over at Aaron, who was watching him. A kiss on his cheek, had him settling and together, as a family, they watched _Mary Poppins_ and Spencer had to agree that it was practically perfect in its own way.

* * *

“Aaron, you have got to do something about Tony.” Abigail Sciuto stormed into Aaron’s office madder than he’s ever seen the young Domme and brilliant CSU tech before. She was one of the few people in his life that had unfettered access to his office when he was there. Frowning he stopped working on the file he was working on and looked-up at her.

“Abigail, what’s going on?”

“It’s Tony, something isn’t right. He hasn’t been himself for months now and he won’t talk to me. I can’t go to Gibbs because he just keeps saying that nothing is going on. But, there is definitely _something_ going on. You need to talk to him, Aaron. I’m worried.” Abby huffed out as she sat hard on one of the chairs in front of Aaron’s desk.

Standing, Aaron moved out from behind his desk to sit next to her.

“Start at the beginning. Tell me why you think Anthony is in trouble.”

Abby took a deep breath and started to tell Aaron about what was going on. Spencer had been stunned to see Abby, Aaron had never mentioned he had any kind of ties to NCIS. Though the BAU’s path crossed a couple of times with NCIS, they didn’t know each other that well, just by reputation. He stood and grabbed a chair from the round conference table in the office and sat on the other side of Abby. He wanted to hear the whole story.

“It was when Gibbs retired and left for a few months. Tony was doing something for the Director, but he kept saying he wasn’t allowed to tell anyone what he was doing. He was also running the team. Timmy was the first to notice that Tony wasn’t himself. Then Kate. We are all worried about him. He also hates Ziva David, though she works with all the NCIS team's, she isn’t on any one team. I don’t know why, but there is something he is not telling anyone.”

“And you think he’ll talk to me?”

“You have a way of getting people to spill their guts Aaron. Please? I think he’s in real trouble and doesn’t know who to turn to. Gibbs isn’t there anymore, and for some reason Tony won’t go see him.”

“And because I’m removed from the team you think I’ll be able to get him to talk.”

“Yes, exactly.” Abby furrowed her brow and twisted her hands in her lap, waiting for Aaron’s reply.

“Okay. I can’t promise you anything Abigail, but I will talk to him.”

The smile he got from the young woman was huge. He just shook his head and shooed her out of his office, telling her to go back to work and don’t worry about what he was going to do with Tony.

“How are you involved in NCIS?” Spencer looked at Aaron confused.

“Through Abigail. She was a recipient of the Young Women in Science award when she was in college. One of the charities Spencer and I run for girls and women who are encouraged to go into the sciences. She’s quite brilliant and it was Spencer that brought her to my attention. She had gone to several of his lectures and asked some very brilliant questions. He fast tracked her to receiving a grant that paid for most of her schooling. When she was hired at NCIS, we both saw it as an opportunity to keep an eye on them, but it seems something has gone terribly wrong. I wondered at the appointment of Jennifer Shepard. I think we have research to do.”

Spencer started to look into Jenny Shepard, they wanted to be prepared for anything when they spoke with Tony. Later that night when they got home he holed up with Penelope and combed the dark web for anything they could find on the NCIS Director. One thing that stood out was her father’s death and her belief that one Rene Benoit was involved in his apparent suicide. Spencer pulled up the old file from DC Police department. He printed everything out that he could find and proceeded to handle it like an equivocal death evaluation.

Getting a pinboard, he set it up in his office and put all the information he had for Jasper Shepard on it and his supposed suicide. He wanted to know why Director Shepard didn’t think her father’s death was as suicide. From other documents he pulled with Colonel Shepard’s signature and other examples of his writing he could say without a doubt that the note left was in his hand.  
As Spencer was looking at everything that was collected, Aaron came into his office and stood next to him.

“What are you thinking Spencer?”

“This man was not killed by Rene Benoit. Director Shepard’s vendetta is based on a fallacy. She thinks just because her father was having Benoit investigated that his suicide was facilitated by Benoit. Her assumption is all because she does not want to face the fact that her father committed suicide because he was already dying. He wanted to spare her the pain of watching his body fall apart. He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, here’s the medical reports.”

Aaron took the folder Spencer handed him and read through it. 

“And you think this has something to do with Tony, how?”

“To understand what Shepard is doing with Tony we have to understand her psychology. She should never have been elevated to Director. She either blackmailed someone or greased palms to get the position. Her very vocal outcry against the DC Police’s ruling of suicide should have been a clue. She has a serious vendetta out for Benoit, I just don’t know how Tony is involved. Penelope is trying to get into her private files, but if she is as smart as I think she is, she will have anything to do with Benoit and Tony, either on a flash drive, or separate hidden server.”

“We’ll get Tony here, get him to talk to us, then we make plans.” Aaron looked at the board and tried to make sense of what Spencer had laid out. This was the first time he has seen the young man in his element. Profiling someone, combing through their life to see what makes them tick. Aaron had to admit, it made him admire Spencer even more. It couldn’t be easy to do this and come back from it time after time. 

“I have more work, I don’t have a complete profile on the NCIS Director, but by the time we do talk to Tony, I’ll know more about Jenny Shepard.” Spencer tuned Aaron out as he went through all he gathered. On a separate board he was making notes and it was all so achingly familiar. He let himself get lost in learning all he could, wishing that his team was there with him, helping him. But they weren’t. Though...Spencer chuckled to himself then ran out of the office and went in search of Rossi.

He found the ex-profiler in the library working on his computer.

“Dave, I need your help with a profile.” Dave looked up from what he was doing and stood.

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope. Look, you are still one of the best, and I need help pinning this down.”

“Okay Kid, lead the way.”

Spencer led him back to his office and they both shooed Aaron out. The two men got down to it and Spencer was surprised at how easy it was to work with this Dave. His mind was as sharp as they fell into an easy, and familiar to Spencer, pattern. Before the night was over, they had a working profile and ammunition to use against the NCIS Director. Now all they needed was to know Tony’s part in all of this and how they could help get him out of whatever trouble he was in.

* * *

Aaron watched as their personal valet walked Tony back to the office Spencer was using. Aaron was there as well. 

“Agent DiNozzo, thank you for coming in. I think we can help you, but, you need to be upfront and honest with us. And before you ask it was Abby that came to Aaron. She’s worried about you and whatever you are involved in.”

“Dr. Reid, Mr. Hotchner. I have to say that I never thought I’d be in the presence of the golden couple of DC.” The sarcasm wasn’t lost on either Spencer or Aaron.

“I admit that I never thought I’d have an agent of your caliber in my home. But, here we are.” Aaron gestured for Tony to sit and Aaron and Spencer followed suit, taking up the loveseat and giving Tony the chair in front of it.

“I believe that we can help you and, if you are interested, a new position as well. You probably have heard that the BAU is being restructured and someone of your talents could be an asset.” 

“The new Unit Chief, Kate Callahan, she’s seen your file Agent and she’s impressed. She wants to present you with a formal offer, but Abby brought it to our attention that you are in some kind of trouble. Aaron is right, we can help, and here, whatever you say will not leave this office, I promise.” Spencer leaned forward, compassion and understanding, he hoped, were written all over his face.

“This is all very intriguing. But I want to know how you know Abby.” Tony was looking at them suspiciously. Spencer couldn’t blame him, whatever trouble he was in, he couldn’t trust anyone.

“Abby was a recipient of a series of grants that encourages women in the sciences. She was brought to my attention when she attended a series of lectures given by Dr. Reid. I’ll be frank with you Tony, she’s my spy. She has funneled information about your team and NCIS in general to me. For the most part I’ve been able to encourage the right people in the right places. When Morrow left and appointed Shepard, it was done without my consulting.”

Tony sat back and looked between the two men. “I know what you both are all about. I know I could never prove anything, even if I dug deep enough. You don’t help people unless it helps you. So, how do I have to sell myself to earn your help.” Tony’s expression was flat and cold. Aaron admired that, admired him. They weren’t playing around and he found it rather refreshing.

“Nothing. You being on the BAU is payment enough. Cleaning up a corrupt division of the FBI, that will be how you can pay us back. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Then start by telling me what that is all about.” Tony turned and pointed to Spencer’s boards.

“It’s called an equivocal death investigation. Director Shepard is under the fallacy that her father’s suicide was somehow caused by Rene Benoit. The truth that she doesn’t want to acknowledge is that her father did, in fact, kill himself. He was suffering from pancreatic cancer and he was nearing the final stages. He wanted to spare his daughter his own indignity of what was going to become of him. It is just a coincidence that Benoit was being investigated at the same time.” Spencer explained his investigation and how he came to the conclusions that he had.

Tony stood and took his time reviewing all of the evidence that Spencer had laid out. Aaron and Spencer waited patiently then Tony turned to them once more.

“I was sent in undercover to seduce Benoit’s daughter, Jeanne. In getting close to the daughter, Director Shepard thought it would get me close to Rene. And, it did.” Tony sat and rubbed his face before he clasped his hands together and leaned forward on them, gathering his thoughts.

“Things went horribly wrong. Rene found out that I was an NCIS agent. Someone in Benoit’s organization tried to kill me twice. Jeanne was...angry when the truth came out. The Director’s unauthorized investigation was falling apart. We had no choice but to end it. She blamed me for the things that went wrong. 

“A few weeks later Jeanne came to me and we talked. She was still mad that her father was a target of Jenny Shepard’s but didn’t blame me. We worked things out and secretly continued our relationship. We had a son and I was going to ask her to marry me.” Tony stopped and surged out of his chair and started pacing.

“It was my time to be an Agent A-Float. I was going to be gone six months. Jeanne wasn’t happy about that, but considering it’s only something that rotate every few years, she couldn’t complain. Everything seemed fine, then about a month before my tour was supposed to end…” Tony closed his eyes and fisted his hands at his sides. “I got word that she was killed and my son went missing. The captain of the vessel I was assigned to helped to get me ashore as soon as possible. Jenny was there waiting. Somehow she found out about my relationship. I can’t prove it, but I think she had Jeanne killed. She’s using my son to keep me at NCIS.

“So, Mr. Hotchner, what the hell can you do to get me out of this situation? Because I’ve been wracking my brain and nothing I come up with has a good outcome.”

Aaron sat back after Tony finished his story. He had some more digging to do and intelligence to gather, but when he looked at Spencer he was confident he could help.

“Tony, I am very sure that I can help you. Though you have to understand that whatever is done...well it certainly won’t be through legal means.”

“I didn’t doubt that, but at this point, if you can get me my son back and get me away from that bitch, I don’t care how you do it.”

“Okay. Now, tell me about Ziva.”

* * *

It took time, money and hours of surveillance but Aaron and Spencer finally got a break on who, what and where when it came to Tony’s son. Spencer had a feeling he would have helped Tony no matter what. Aaron had absolute zero tolerance when it came to harm against children.

The group of ex-SEAL mercenaries that were hired were the perfect people to help extract the boy. Spencer gave them specific instructions that former CIA operative and Shepard’s lackey, Trent Kort, was to be kept alive. Aaron would be dealing with him personally.

After reuniting father and son Aaron and Spencer drove to the cabin where Kort was waiting for them.

“This is not going to be quick or pretty.” Aaron turned to look at Spencer who was staring straight ahead.

“I’ll be fine.”

“We’ll see.” Was all Aaron said as he pulled up and parked. He took a deep breath to center himself then walked up to the cabin where one of the mercenaries was there keeping watch. Before Spencer could even say a thing Aaron slit his throat, then pulled the body into the cabin. He then dumped the body in the tub, walked to the sink and washed his hands.

Spencer was worried, not about what was happening around him, but he was worried about himself that he didn’t even react to Aaron killing the man.

“No recriminations Spencer?” Aaron asked as he started to pass him to go back to the car.

“No.”

“Hmm.” Aaron quirked up his lips in a cruel smile almost reminiscent of a few months back when he first found himself in this world. “I’ll be right back. I can trust you not to do anything foolish, right Kitten?”

“Yes, Sir. You can trust me.”

“Good.” Aaron left the cabin then came back only a few moments later. Spencer watched as he laid out his kit then slipped on two pairs of gloves. Only then did he turn to the CIA agent strapped to the stainless steel table. Aaron took out a vial and syringe from the kit then walked the few steps to the table.

“Time to wake-up Kort.” Aaron slapped him a couple of times on the face encouraging the captive to wake.

“You need to let me go. If anything happens to me…”

“Shh, no one is going to look for you Kort. You are already being disavowed as we speak. It’s amazing what one can accomplish with the right words in the right ears. Your little unsanctioned op with Director Shepard is going to cost you Kort. Though, you aren’t getting out of here alive.”

Kort started to struggle, but the reinforced straps held him securely on the table. It was only then that he noticed he was naked. His eyes widened as he looked up at Aaron.

“Now, we’ll start with this.” Aaron injected him in the thigh with the substance from the vial. “It’s a nasty little concoction my Pet made. He’s a brilliant chemist, and if he were ever truly alone in this world, the devastation he could cause, well let’s just say that it’s better he was in my control, shall we?” After a couple of moments Kort stopped struggling and tried to turn his head to look at Aaron.

Spencer had grabbed a chair and thought about his own psychology as he stared at the man on the table, almost anticipating what Aaron was going to do. He knew he needed to get home, he knew the longer he stayed in this world the more like the other Spencer he was becoming. It made him pause as his heart raced knowing that this darker side had been in him all along.

“What did you give me?” Kort ground out through gritted teeth.

“Something to paralyze your muscles, but it keeps you wide awake, and you will feel everything I do to you. You see I hate people that would even think of hurting a child. You did nothing to help Anthony DiNozzo, and chose instead to help a highly unstable bitch. You are going to pay for every single day you kept father and son away from each other, and you are going to feel it all.”

Aaron looked into Kort’s eyes as he thrust his favored stiletto into his victim. He was impressed that Kort didn’t scream, but before the night was over he knew the man would be begging him to stop.

Spencer didn’t look away, or hide in a corner the whole time Aaron was torturing Kort. He still wasn’t sure what that said about his state of mind, or if this being someone he didn’t know, he was able to remove himself from the situation. Ethan had been different. He was a friend, one of his best and oldest, so seeing the avatar of Ethan in this world being tortured hurt him. But this, there was no emotional connection whatsoever and frankly, being part of the BAU, Spencer had been privy to just what humans could do to other humans.

He closed his eyes for just a moment to try and gather his thoughts and assess his own mental state. He knew he would draw the line at the actual participation, but he dissociated and looked at it with his scientific mind. When he heard the screaming stop, he looked over at Aaron, who was beginning the clean-up, and knew he was being watched.

“You didn’t move the whole time.”

“I think I dissociated. Kort means nothing to me in my world, so I was able to distance myself from what you were doing. It doesn’t mean I like it.” Spencer stood and walked out. He knew Aaron would handle the rest, he ran all the scenarios of how to dispose of a body in his head, and didn’t have to ask which Aaron would use. He didn’t need to know. The body already in the tub, and the bottles of chemicals in the cabinet gave him enough clues as to what was going to happen, he didn’t need a play by play.

Spencer slipped into the car and leaned back. He was complicit in all of this and knew it. What that said about him, he was still trying to figure all of that out. Even when Aaron got into the car and drove them home he still didn’t have any answers, and if he was completely honest with himself, he didn’t want to delve too deeply to find them. If he did, he just might scare himself. 

“Kitten, we’re home.”

Spencer sat-up and looked at the mansion he had been living in for the last five months and Aaron’s words struck him hard. Home, he had never truly felt it before. Even with his Mother it was hard to truly call it a home. Though he loved and protected her, it was still difficult to keep everything going. And, though there was love, there was also chaos. When he stepped out of the car and took Aaron’s hand, he stepped into the house and felt that word even more profoundly, home. He turned in Aaron’s arms and wrapped himself around the man and wondered if he was doing the right thing, trying to fix his mistake. There were so many questions, so many unknowns, did he really want to upset the balance yet again? And if he was successful, could he even start over once more? He didn’t know anymore what the right thing to do was.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Trapping an intelligent person took time. Trapping an intelligent and paranoid person took even more time. Spencer had spent a year once tracking a man that he had an interest in destroying. A full year of Spencer learning everything about the man and his life after he went home, and then in the end had Spencer kill the man in a simple hotel room while he had been staking out a drug lord in New Orleans. The aftermath had been the department he was a detective for blaming the murder on one of the lower thugs for the drug lord. The best murders were ones that he was able to pin on someone else. The four months that he'd spent tracking Jason Gideon wasn't really that long but the man had settled into a routine after he'd left the BAU that wasn't hard to figure out. 

Spencer though had to know more than routine when it came to making a perfect suicide scene. He needed to have a full plan that had every single variable plotted out before he made a single move on the man. Gideon was smart and Spencer knew that. This Gideon was exactly the same as the one in his world though. There was no difference at all that Spencer had found. That was telling in more ways than one. 

Gideon was on his way home from Sarasota, Florida and Spencer had been waiting for him for a while. Jack and Aaron were having a father/son weekend on Spencer's insistence. He'd dropped the worm in Jack's ear at dinner after getting back from a case on Wednesday. He wanted to have his weekend free because he was eighty five percent sure that Gideon would be coming back. When late Friday he had started home by making a purchase at a café in Georgia, Spencer knew he had been right. 

The security system for the cabin was old and easy to hide from. The cameras had a small area that they didn't cover but for someone to make it to his cabin from that way, they would have to hike a long ways to get to where the path let out at the cabin. Spencer took the time and hiked it. It hadn't been hard to slip up into the area between the blank spot on the camera and the area the front camera couldn't catch. Gloves were pulled from his pocket and slipped on before he even got near the front door.

When Gideon finally arrived, Spencer was totally set up for him. He had his hair pulled back and it had been since he'd started the hike but a quick pass with a wet hand had made sure that none were going to escape. The clothing that he wore was identical to the type that Gideon wore just in case of trace evidence. Nothing extra had been carried with him to the cabin. The rest of his things were hidden in the woods. All far enough away that it would be out of the scope of any investigation. 

The death, even an apparent suicide, of a former FBI Agent would be looked into. Gideon didn't talk to many people and so there was no one who would be able to refute whether he was suicidal or not. His life had been solitary and there was a history of suspicion of suicide from Aaron and the other Spencer. 

Gideon entered the cabin and wasn't even aware that it wasn't how he left it. Spencer moved silently and reached around to land the tranq dart that he carried on him where he wanted on Gideon's body. The man reacted slow. A testiment of how weak he'd allowed himself to become. The look on his face was rewarding. The look was full of shock, disbelief, and at the end as the drug took effect, wariness. Gideon slumped down and Spencer caught him. 

The chair in Gideon's room was set right where he wanted it. There was a tie from Gideon's robe draped on the side of the bed where he could reach it when he needed it. But instead of tying him straight he used a pillow between the mark shift rope and Gideon's body. It would stop a band from forming across his body that would throw suspicion on his apparent suicide. 

After getting Gideon tied to the chair in a way that wouldn't show marks, there was nothing left to do but wait. Spencer squatted in front of him. He pulled the case for the dart from his pocket and slipped it inside before putting it back in his pocket as deep as it could go. He didn't want a chance of it slipping out. 

Spencer waited with baited breath for the moment that Gideon was going to wake up. He had the scene perfectly set out. Gideon would be waking in the next five minutes and thirty three seconds based on the dosage of knockout that he gave him. It was a cocktail that he'd perfected over the years to subdue his victims when Aaron couldn't be around. The Gideon of his world was facing his worst nightmare at Aaron's hands. Spencer cared little for visiting him but this Gideon. He was still hurting the Spencer of this world and he couldn't stand that. He had injected it after Gideon had been secure.

The entire plan was thought out. At the current his phone was pinging him to be in DC shopping at the suit store and his perfect little shop assistant was going to run his card at a pre-recorded time. The footage for it was already set up and he'd spliced it into the feed at the store and no one would be able to figure out it was a splice. He clocked the time when Gideon groaned for the first time, adding it to his mental log of the drug. It was a wonder drug. It wouldn't show up on a tox screen at all. At least no one in his world had ever found it on the bodies that were allowed to be found. He doubted anyone in this world would find it. 

Gideon took ten more minutes for him to wake up enough for him to realize that he wasn't alone.

"Spencer? What are you..." Gideon trailed off as he realized that he was trapped. He was tied to a chair but the bindings weren't normal. A body pillow was wrapped around his upper body and then the strap from his robe was wrapped around it and laced at the back. There would be no ligature marks on his body and he couldn't move other than to stamp his feet. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, you have my name right but you unfortunately have the wrong person. See my name is Spencer Reid. I look like your Spencer but I am not. I'm from another world. Your Spencer did something so stupid and fucked with the fabric of reality. We swapped places. And before you try and profile exactly what kind of psychotic break I've had. I had it a long time ago. I'm Aaron Hotchner, Esquire's law assistant. I've been that since I turned twenty." Spencer pulled a syringe out of his pocket, the needle capped. He smiled as he showed the man it was empty. "This won't show up on any tox screen and there is no evidence that I am here. Just in case someone goes into thinking you didn't kill yourself."

"What happened to you?" Gideon was looking at him and there was fear in his eyes. Pure fear. He either believed him or thought his break was so bad that he thought he was telling the truth. Either one worked for him. 

"I was broken when Sir found me. He took me in and fixed me. He molded me into what I am and I love him for him. You have tried time and again to try and push us apart in my world but we finally stopped you. You are getting a easy and painless death in this world. But I can't have you try and mess with Spencer ever again and when he comes back, you'll try and help him. He'll hurt when he finds out you are dead when he comes back but that will hurt less than you coming back. I won't give you the chance."

"Spencer, I _can_ help you."

"That's the same thing you said in my world but the thing is, you don't have a single clue what is best for me. You never did. I know what you did to him. Not giving him help and letting him get addicted to Dilaudid and making him come clean on his own. All because he didn't beg you. You then left him at a time when he was still getting his feet under him. And left a damned note just like his father. If I was in my world, I'd make you suffer for weeks. Slice you open and stitch you back together again, time and again. Until you beg for death and then you would just disappear."

"Spencer, please."

"That's not going to work. No amount of pleading is going to stop me. You were dead the moment I stepped into this world. I can't let you live." Spencer stood up and moved closer to him. His hand wasn't gloved but he had a pair for when he moved the body. The other pair was in his back pocket, safe. "I injected you in the stomach with the drug. You've hit the high point but you'll be going down in a few and you'll be unable to fight me. Right where I injected you, you are going to have a knife stabbed in your stomach to imitate Seppuku. You even bought a perfect blade for it. That was a stroke of luck."

Spencer gloved his hands up with the ones in his pocket before he slipped the syringe into the bag he'd brought with him. On the dresser was the long bladed dagger he'd found in Gideon's bedroom. 

"The act of stabbing you will remove the evidence that I stuck a needle in you. I've done this before and I know it works. So Gideon are you going to go easy or put up a fight?"

Gideon started to struggle in the bindings again and Spencer just waited. The more he fought the quicker that he was going to hit that downward spiral. He watched and delighted as the light in Gideon's eyes faded. He knew then that it was time. He worked the binding around the pillow first and when it was released, Gideon slumped forwards but he used the binding to ease the man to the floor. He waited until the man started to stiffen more and then pulled the binding all the way from his body and then the pillow. He'd have five minutes of him being stuck in that position to kill him. Moving behind him, Spencer readied the blade, clasping Gideon's hands around it. The man was going to see and feel every single second of it. Spencer pulled the blade to touch on the man's stomach. The blade was just short enough that it would go through his body but wouldn't come out the other side. A groan of pain emanated from Gideon as the blade slide into him inch by inch. 

When the blade was fully in him, Spencer stood up and moved around to the front where he finished the ritual of moving the blade left and right, disemboweling him. Spencer stood up and moved away as the body died and slumped down. He inspected himself and found no blood on his clothes and none on his gloves. He packed his things up and moved back towards the front door. He locked it and shut it behind him and retraced his steps, leaving no evidence of his steps. The ground was hard and grass covered where he walked. The hike to where he'd changed into his clothes that he'd purchased with cash with his regular clothes was easy. He changed them and packed those into the bag. The bag went into his trunk and then the items would go into his go bag and left in a random city, wherever the next case for the BAU was. The syringe would be left with no prints in an alley where other crack fiends frequented. His plan was perfect and flawless. Aaron would expect no less.

* * *

The knock on Spencer's door shocked him as Aaron wasn't home from work and Jack was still at school and the older man was going to pick him up from Jessica's on his way home. He moved to the door and looked out the peep hole. There was a man standing there that Spencer knew of from the research he'd done on this world when he got there. John Richmond. Spencer opened the door.

"Sir, please come in." Spencer stepped back and allowed the man to enter.

"Just here as John, Spencer. Just as John."

"Would you like something to drink?" Spencer asked because getting the drinks would give him time to get his head together and maybe figure out what the man wanted. 

"Coffee would be fine. I'm sure you have a pot."

Spencer moved to the kitchen and found the serving tray that he'd found when he'd packed up and moved to the new place. He grabbed the sugar bowl and the creamer pot from the fridge and slipped them onto it before transferring what was in the pot into the carafe. Just as he looked out towards the man he figured it out. The insistence of first name was the first clue but the second was the news that had trickled around the bullpen earlier that day. It was why Aaron had sent him home. The news of the heart attack death of William Reid had been found by Garcia and told to Aaron before anyone else, even Spencer. Spencer had acted shocked and played up a slightly grieving man. Aaron had sent him home so that he didn't have to act but also because if it had been the real Spencer he would have wanted time alone, without the team to micromanage him. Morgan and Garcia had texted him near non stop since he'd got home. He'd put his phone on silent and checked it every little bit, dismissing their texts.

Setting down the tray, Spencer sat down in the chair while John took the couch. Spencer had been aware that the other Spencer was going to meetings and has a sponsor but he knew that he wouldn't be able to fake the story or be able to share at all so he'd chose not to go to meetings. He hadn't realized that Spencer's sponsor was someone from the FBI. 

"You've not been to a meeting in a while and I know part of that is that you have been gone on cases but the rest of the time you are home. You've not contacted me to talk since Jason Gideon's death and now I heard that your father died last month from a heart attack and you were just notified by your team analyst."

"I've been talking to someone else."

"Who?"

"I don't have to share that with you but my partner. We've been together for over four months now and working off of a few years for friendship before that. He listens and we talk and with him around, I feel cravings but I don't feel any want to actually go and get any Dilaudid."

"That's interesting."

"What?" Spencer watched him and saw the moment that he knew that something was wrong.

"Gideon was your mentor and he killed himself. Is there really nothing that you feel about him?"

"I processed that emotion for him a long time ago. He was just someone else in my life that left. I don't see where getting upset about it will help me."

"And your father?"

"I'm upset that I had to find out the way that I did. I called Bennington when I got home and no one had notified mom either and none of the staff had seen it. Mom's doctor is going to notify her in a little bit and call if he thinks I need to come out there."

"I can make sure you get the time off. You can go."

"Hotch has already told me if I need time off he'll make sure I get it." Spencer watched the man as he tried to figure him out. John was a smart man, to get as high as he did in the FBI he had to be. It was going to be hard to kill him but not impossible. Unlike Gideon though, he had to do it quick.

"You've had a good bit of time off, how is he going to swing that?"

"The team will donate time. Plus I've not had to take off for her in the years I've worked here. Barely took AL either. The team doesn't mind and in Hotch's mind, they are the only ones that matter." Spencer doctored his coffee as he watched John do his. The man was meticulous and it was going to be his downfall. 

John left an hour later after having talked to Spencer the entire time. That week's meeting was the next night and Spencer couldn't go because of a case so while on the case, he did research into John Richmond. Looking at his medical history after hacking his files revealed that his drug of choice was Vicodin. Spencer was ninety five percent sure on that. He had the same preference for non narcotics that Spencer's file had. In his research, Spencer found that his wife was seeking divorce. After thirty five years of marriage. A hack of the woman's Facebook profile found that she regularly messaged a man half her age and nude pictures were sent back and forth. 

By the time the team made it back for the weekend, Spencer had a plan in place. He'd bought the liquid Vicodin in Nebraska, where the case had been. He went right with Aaron to his apartment and Jessica met them there with Jack. Spencer offered to make them all chamomile tea to help them wind down. Jack's and his he left undoctored but Aaron's he slipped a sleeping pill into. The spice of the cinnamon stick that Aaron liked in his would hide the flavor of pill. He hated doing it but he needed Aaron to sleep and sleep through him leaving. 

Jack was in bed long before the pill started to take effect on Aaron. The boy slept deep and so Spencer wasn't worried about waking him up. A shared shower for him and Aaron and then the older man was dead asleep. Spencer stayed as late as he dared, watching Aaron sleep. Even with finding out the truth and accepting that anything he did to push Spencer from his life would hurt the other Spencer, Aaron was wary. He had every single right to be. 

Spencer slipped out of bed and dressed in a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt. He found a very old hoodie of Aaron's in the back of the closet and donned it as well. Tennis shoes finished the ensemble as well as his MP3 player. He'd mapped his route as John actually only lived five miles away so Spencer planned on taking a cab to a place a mile away and then taking a jog to the house. 

John had a simple house security system and no cameras so Spencer hacked it and left no trace that it had been disarmed. The man was asleep in a chair in his den so Spencer prepared to kill him there. 

Part of the reason that Spencer was so good at what he did was that he prepared his own drugs. It was easy and Spencer was damned good at tailoring the mix of knockout drugs needed. His Aaron owned several companies that dealt is chemicals and things so it was easy to visit and "steal" what he needed. He had knock out drugs that all trace would be destroyed by the drug that Spencer would kill them with. Like John. His Vicodin mixed drug was easy. It was a spray that John only needed to inhale. No chemical burns would be left in his nose or mouth and he'd be out long enough for Spencer to inject him. After donning gloves, the Vicodin vial was pulled from his pocket as well as a syringe and tie off. One inhalation of the drug and John was out. Spencer prepared the overdose and injected John. It was the perfect dose as it would take a little time for him to die, about half an hour. 

Once it was all done and he had cleaned up, Spencer left. He set his MP3 player and weaved through a back alley to appear on the other block. He ran several miles over to a known drug area and disposed of the needle. He left the vial in plain sight so that the first junkie who came along would take it. The thrum of the high of another successful, hidden kill was singing through his blood. He hoped that by the time he got home in the early morning hours that Aaron would be waking up. 

The near ten mile run that Spencer did helped to settle him. He catalogued differences on the smaller scale between his world and this one. It was cleaner and dirtier at the same time. On the surface it was all good but once one looked at the underside, the dirt under the rug and whatnot, it was so much more dirtier than his world. The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Spencer stopped to cool down exercises a block from the apartment building. He planned to grab coffee for him and Aaron because he had plans that involved them not getting out of bed until they had to. 

When he was sure he wasn't going to cramp or his muscles tense, Spencer walked to the coffee shop as it was opening. He got his normal and got Aaron his indulgence drink. As a way of silently telling him that he was sorry. He made his way up to the apartments, going into Aaron's to set the coffee down for him on the nightstand before going back to his and sitting in front of the computer. He pulled up his kill file and debated for ten minutes on what he should put. In the end, he closed it. It was a kill purely to save himself. There was no reason to give Spencer that knowledge. 

Aaron was still asleep when Spencer moved into the bedroom, he wasn't in the heavy sleep of the drugged though. Spencer stripped naked and slid into bed with Aaron, putting the cuffs on but leaving them unattached. Aaron smiled in his sleep as Spencer's scent permeated his sleeping mind. It wasn't long before Aaron was rolling into him, nestling his hard cock in Spencer's lower back.

"You smell..." Aaron trailed off, humming under his breath. He licked at Spencer's neck. "Sweaty."

"I ran this morning. Didn't get to on the case and I needed it. I got you coffee."

"Don't want coffee. Want you. Lock the door, Spencer and come back to bed."

Spencer slipped out of the bed and moved to lock the door. When he turned around, Aaron had thrown the covers off the bed and was fisting his cock. Spencer stared at him. Aaron raised an eyebrow and Spencer scrambled up into his lap. Aaron grabbed his hair, holding his gaze where he wanted it which was on his cock as he fisted it. 

"Prep yourself. I'm going to fuck you." Aaron tossed lube down onto the bed as he released his hair. Spencer turned around on him, so that Aaron could see him fingering himself. 

By the time that Spencer had three fingers inside of himself, he was leaking. Aaron slipped out from underneath him and grabbed his hand, pulling it from himself. Aaron padded away and came back with a wet rag. 

"Do you have a way of chaining yourself with your arms spread out?" 

"Depends if you want me up or laying down."

"Down is good. Face down. Tell me."

Spencer shifted around to lay on his stomach. He spread his arms up and out, barely brushing the edges of the bed. "There is chain on either side, just under the mattress."

Aaron moved and found what Spencer said was there and hooked him up. He moved off the bed next. Spencer listened as Aaron moved around. There was a metal clinking and Spencer knew that sound well. A belt. 

"Safeword?" Aaron asked. 

"Vicaria."

"You know I looked that up to confirm. Substitute." Aaron said nothing else and Spencer waited, forcing his body to stay relaxed. The first strike hit the bed between his legs, he got worried for a few seconds and was about to safeword when the thump happened again. From the sound it landed in the exact same place. "Remember, be quiet."

Before Spencer could even think of responding a strike landed on the back of his thighs. He buried his face in the pillow to muffle his cry because his Aaron never wanted silence. He wanted to hear every single plea, every single beg, and every single moan. Aaron had hit to make sure that nothing was damaged but it wasn't that strong of a hit. Spencer curled his hands tight and hung on as blow after blow landed on him. As Aaron gain confidence and control, the blows moved up and got harder. Spencer kept himself out of the deep end of subspace to make sure that Aaron didn't do damage on accident. 

"Close," Spencer gasped as a blow wrapped around his thigh and just barely kissed the edge of the still healing bite. He heard the clatter of the belt hitting the floor and then hands were freeing him. Spencer whined as he was moved to his knees. Aaron now knew what he was sounding like when he hit the point of he wouldn't be able to stop himself. 

"Up," Aaron said.

Spencer rose up and stayed like that. He was in the middle of the bed and he was facing the foot of the bed. Aaron slipped in behind him. He inhaled as he felt his collar turned and a snap of a chain being attached. He settled down more into his skin as he felt fingers slip inside of him. He clenched down on them. Aaron moved around again. Laying down and sliding under Spencer. He opened his eyes to see Aaron's legs. 

"Ride me."

Spencer reached around to find Aaron's cock, sliding down on it. He was so worked up that once he was all the way down, Spencer paused because the feel of Aaron inside of him was threatening to make him go off. 

Aaron moved a little and Spencer wasn't sure what to expect but to feel the chain linked to his collar become tighter wasn't it. It went right to where if he leaned forward at all his air would be cut off. He moaned as hands traveled down his back, scraping slightly. 

"Aaron,"' Spencer begged. 

"What?" Aaron was breathing heavy and his word came out a gasp. 

"What do you want?"

"I want you to make me see stars." Aaron's hands didn't stop moving as Spencer found a good rhythm. He couldn't raise up any without making it hard to breathe but he could rock. Aaron's fingers scratched at his back and ass just enough to send just enough pain to him. Spencer lost himself in his head, leaning forward just enough to hinder his breathing a little. He fucked himself on Aaron's cock as hard as he could. He strained against the chain and rode his lover harder and harder. Spencer was flying when he felt hands grab his hips and hold him down on Aaron's cock. He didn't even care that he could barely breathe. 

Aaron came with a strangled cry, gripping Spencer's hips even harder and leaving bruises. Spencer kept his eyes closed as he leaned more and more into the tightness. Aaron's hands were running over his back. Spencer groaned as his shoulder's were grabbed and he was pulled back enough that Aaron was able to get the chain off. Spencer followed the urging of Aaron's hands as he turned on the older man and laid down on top of him. Spencer didn't even rut into his hip, where his hard cock was nestled on Aaron's body. 

"Perfect. God, you are so perfect Spencer."

Spencer closed his eyes and just drifted. The hands on his back, the words that Aaron was uttering was making him float more. One hand started to trace the scars and Spencer's arousal ached with need. Aaron took his mouth in a kiss as he worked a hand between them. 

"Come for me. Mark me."

Spencer cried out as he came. He tried to raise up but his body was too tired. He tried to at least move off of Aaron was instead he was cradled in the man's arms and carried to the bathroom. Aaron sat him down on the floor of the shower and started the water. When it was starting to steam, Aaron detached the head and started to wash him. He was gentle and loving as he did it.

Once Spencer was clean, Aaron didn't pull him from the shower. He turned the hot water up a little and held him there. His fingers ghosted over where the collar had sat. 

"Are you suicidal?" Aaron asked as he sat down, wrapping himself around Spencer. One of his hands went right back to Spencer's throat. 

"No. Just..." Spencer buried his head in Aaron's wet neck. "I feel guilty because I can't make it back to Aaron and Jack. I can't help try and fix it on my end. I'm worthless in the endeavor to get home. You can call it self punishment. I wouldn't be able to let myself die with even an off chance of me getting back to them."

Aaron's hand was gentle on his neck he had to see the bruises forming. "Spencer, why won't you talk to me?"

"Not my Aaron. You don't understand. You can't." Spencer didn't want to talk. He had hoped that Aaron would just let it pass but he knew that the man wouldn't. It wasn't in him. This wasn't his Aaron and he didn't trust him that way. He couldn't bear his soul to him.

"What can I do to help? I'll do anything."

"Don't give me options right now. Tell me what I am doing, eating, just everything. When it's us. You fear that part of yourself and it shows. You aren't your father. You don't hurt me out of malice but out of a want to give me what I want, what I need." 

"I can do that." Aaron sounded unsure but Spencer was going to give him a chance. "We are getting out now. Jack is probably awake and hungry. I'll start breakfast. You get dressed and spend time with Jack."

"Yes, S-" Spencer stopped himself. He wasn't going to call him that. This Aaron wasn't his Aaron. He stood on shaky legs and moved out of the shower. He dried himself off and dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He wandered out of the bedroom and found Jack on the couch, watching cartoons. Spencer sat down on the couch and was about to open his mouth when Jack crawled across the couch and into his lap. Spencer turned his eyes to the TV that was playing softly. Jack didn't say anything, just cuddled there in Spencer's lap. This would at least center him.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

The day was bright and cloudless and Spencer couldn’t quite keep the smile off his face as he held Jack’s hand while they explored the shops along Dupont Circle. They had already gone to the game store and Spencer had bought him a couple of video games on his and Aaron’s approval list. Their next stop was going to be one of the many bookstores in the area. 

“Pops, can I get the next Ranger’s Apprentice?” Jack got out his phone that had his list of books on it, especially the different series that he was keeping up with. He was so much like his father in being very organized. He even had projected publishing dates for the future installments for his favorites. Spencer could relate, it was something he was prone to do in his own world. It made him wonder if the next Ice and Fire book had come out in the time he was here in this world. 

“Sure, Jack. Let’s go see what they have.” Spencer smiled as he ruffled Jack’s hair before pulling open the door to the bookstore. This was one place he knew he could let Jack roam, the staff knew them well and would keep an unofficial eye on the boy. It gave Spencer a few minutes to check out the adult Sci-fi and fiction shelves. As he was looking at books by authors he had never heard of and probably weren’t in his world, Jack came running up to him with several books in his arms.

“Why don’t you stack those here, then go get a basket.” Spencer chuckled as Jack carefully put his books down then went to the front of the store to grab a hand basket. By the time he got back Spencer had a small stack himself. He first piled his books in, then one by one he looked over Jack’s selections and approved of all but one, Enclave by Ann Aguilar. It’s one Spencer recognized from the boys he played chess with at the park. He had been asked to read it by one of the parents to see if it really was okay for her son to read. Spencer had done a quick read through and agreed that he was old enough, Jack, however, wasn’t

“We’ll note this one on your to read later list, Jack. It’s a little on the older side for you. You know your Dad doesn’t want you reading anything too sexual.”

Jack looked disappointed and Spencer knew what he was doing, pushing boundaries of what he was allowed to read.

“Aww, Pops, a lot of the guys at school have already read Enclave. They all tell me I have to read it.”

“I know kiddo, but you know your Father’s rules. And, I can’t say that I don’t agree, because I do. Now, the rest are fine, but go put this one back.” Jack scowled as he walked back to the young adult science fiction section and put the book back. Spencer knew that keeping their rules was important. Clear boundaries and Jack knowing what he could and couldn’t do were important. Spencer was glad to know, though, that Aaron balanced out the rules. They were flexible as Jack grew older.

“Pops?”

“Yeah Buddy?”

“Can we go to the coffee shop?” Jack’s eyes were huge and Spencer knew he was lost.

“Yeah, let’s just go pay for these, then we’ll head on over there. And, since you’ve been so good, you can have a small coffee.” Jack almost cheered, but Spencer saw that he remembered where he was and just did a quick happy dance. Laughing at the boy, he grabbed the basket and made his way to the register where he paid for their books. 

When they made their way out the door, Jack looped a finger around Spencer’s belt loop, staying close. They were halfway towards the coffee shop when Spencer felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He looked around, his eyes going flat as all his training came into focus. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. 

Spencer scanned the area with his eyes, his fingers itched to grab the gun he wore at his back. It had take him a while to get used to it, as he liked to wear it in front, slightly to the side. With Jack there he didn’t want to alarm the boy so he continued walking towards to coffee shop. Their bodyguard Spencer could see out of the corner of his eye. He was keeping a discreet, but near enough distance that if anything happened, he’d be on them quickly.

“Pops, you okay?” Jack almost whispered as he moved even closer to Spencer.

“Yeah, buddy. I’m okay. You remember what to do if anything happens, right?”

Jack frowned and Spencer could feel his anxiety. Both Aaron and Spencer had trained Jack in several safety protocols if anyone tried to harm him or grab him. They both had hidden panic buttons sewn into all of their clothes. It was a device Jackson had created that could be stitched into the hems or collars of shirts. Or it could be added to a belt or other piece of jewelry. There was one in every one of Spencer’s collars. He wouldn’t activate unless they truly were in danger.

“Yeah. Pops, you’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”

Spencer smiled and relaxed his stance like Morgan had been trying to teach him. 

“You know I would. Now, we’re here. It’s probably just a bit of paranoia. Come on, why don’t you get comfortable and I’ll get our drinks.” Spencer kept a sharp eye on Jack and also noted when Trevor moved into the coffee shop and moved to a small table near the boy. Spencer ordered, and waited for their coffees. He grabbed them when they were ready, then turned and quickly scanned the tables. He sat next to Jack and couldn’t quite shake that feeling of being watched.

With his eyes and subtle hand movements he told Trevor he thought they were being watched. The bodyguard silently stood and went to get his own drink. Spencer watched as he too scanned the room, but nothing so far seemed out of the ordinary. The bodyguard got his coffee and returned to his silent watch.

Pulling a couple of books out of the bag, he handed Jack one of his own books, then pulled out one he wanted to read as well. Settling back he started to read, but kept aware enough that he looked around every so often. He tried not to tense as he sat there surveilling. It felt no different than a typical FBI location stakeout, but different because this was personal, whatever it was.

“Pops?”

“Yeah Jack?” The boy took a few moments to form the question that was on his mind.

“Is your Jack anything like me?” The boy looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Well, he’s a lot younger than you. He’s six, but he is a very smart little boy like you are.”

“Do you love him too?”

Spencer frowned as he set his book down and really looked at the boy.

“I want to Jack. But, there are things that have kept us apart. I want to be able to do all the things with him that I do with you.” Spencer took a breath and wrapped his arm around Jack.

“Does he like soccer too?”

Spencer softly chuckled and shook his head, “Yes, he does. But they are still in the peewee league. Not like you, but I’m sure with some good coaching and practice he’ll move up. Why all these questions buddy?”

“Well, you and Uncle Charlie are doing all those experiments to try to get you home and I just want to make sure you have someone to take care of you. Will your Jack take care of you Pops?”

Spencer couldn’t help the lump in his throat or the tears that pricked his eyes, but he wasn’t going to let them fall. The days of him easily crying had been waning. That strong inner core that he had been building before the accident had just gotten stronger with being in this world. Jack’s love and acceptance was one of the biggest things that had helped to build him up.

“I don’t know buddy, but if your Papa loves him like he does you, then I think when I get home, things will be very different for me. I’ll love him already because he isn’t any different from you.”

“Good, I love you Pops.” Jack leaned in close and opened his book back-up and started to read.

Spencer’s heart hitched in his chest as he sat there drinking his coffee and reading. He didn’t want to think about going back right now. Losing this Jack and even Aaron would hurt and he didn’t want to deal with what that would mean when he got home.

He patiently waited till Jack was done with his coffee, that uneasy feeling he had when entering the coffee shop had abated, but he still kept himself on alert. When they were done, Spencer stood and threw their cups away, grabbed their bags in one hand and then he took Jack’s hand in his free one. They went out first, Trevor, again following discreetly behind them.

“Where next Jackers?” Spencer asked as they strolled along.

“Can we go to Fantom Comics?”

“Sure.” As they walked, that feeling of being watched was back and Spencer looked around, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. He tried to tamp down on his anxiety as they continued walking. He didn’t want to scare Jack.

The noise of a scuffle behind him had Spencer, all in one motion, turning, grabbing his gun, and shoving Jack behind him.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you Dr. Reid. We wouldn’t want anyone hurt, now would we?” 

“Foyet. You’ve been following us, haven’t you?”

“Smart as ever. You and the little brat are going to _fucking pay for what you’ve done to me_.” Foyet yelled at Spencer as he held the gun he had steady in his hands. In that moment he knew exactly what Aaron had felt when his Foyet had invaded Aaron’s apartment. He felt fear, but underneath it was white hot rage that Foyet was threatening Jack.

“No, we aren’t. And if I shoot you, no one will sympathize with you Foyet. I could do it, out here in the open and no one would condemn me. Your crimes are very public knowledge and no one sympathizes with a child molester.”

“I’d watch how you talk to me Dr. Reid.” Foyet too a step closer to Spencer and Jack, who took a step back. Spencer noticed several people pulling out their phones, but he couldn’t be sure if they were filming, or if someone was calling the police.

“I’d put that gun down if I were you Dr. Reid. Like I said, you don’t want to hurt an innocent bystander. Now, we are going somewhere a little more private and hash this all out. No sudden moves, I can’t be responsible if others get hurt if either one of us was to open fire.” Foyet took several steps and Spencer wondered where Trevor was. He was looking around quickly trying to assess his situation. He would do anything to protect Jack, even if it cost him his own life. 

Spencer’s heart was pounding, but he kept an outward appearance of calm. He knew that no amount of talking was going to stop Foyet. Spencer was going to back-up, but he had Jack to think about. Taking a deep breath he showed Foyet that he was putting his weapon away. He knew he could have taken the shot, but being out on the street, there was always the chance that someone could get hurt. He would bide his time and look for an opening. The one advantage, though, were the panic buttons that no one outside of Spencer, Aaron and Jack knew about them. 

“Foyet, let us go. If you hurt either of us, you know Aaron will hunt you down like a dog. There will be nowhere you can run to. He has friends and spies everywhere.”

Foyet sneered, then quicker than Spencer could react, the man grabbed Jack by the upper arm and put the gun against the boy’s temple. Spencer was no longer afraid for himself, he was terrified for Jack, but there was also a burning hot rage inside him that the psychopath put his hands on his son. That thought almost made him falter. He didn’t realize till that moment that he thought of Jack as his son as well. Clamping down on his emotions he glared hard at Foyet.

“Now, walk. Only turn when I tell you. The police are bound to show up, and if they do before we are out of the street, you just play it cool and keep walking. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to the boy now, would we?”

“What did you do with Trevor?” Spencer wanted to keep him talking, he knew if he kept Foyet focused and talking, it gave him more time to work out some kind of plan, or gave Aaron enough time to find them.

“Don’t worry I didn’t kill him. Just put him out for a few hours,” Foyet sneered as he kept forcing them forward. 

“You know they’ll find us. You’ve exposed yourself George, there are too many witnesses out here in the middle of the street for you to kill. You should let us go. I want to say that the police will go easy on you, but I don’t really think they will. You’ve done too much damage. Not only to the BAU, but to the reputation of the FBI in general. Your a stain, a taint that they should have gotten rid of a long time ago.” Spencer knew he was egging Foyet on, but it didn’t really matter. There was no good way to talk himself out of this situation. But, if he could get Foyet off the street and alone, he had a better chance. He was going through all the possible scenarios in his head when Foyet momentarily let go of Jack and shoved him down an alley. He was pushed back towards a door that led to an old empty storefront. Spencer felt Foyet take his gun from his back as he was shoved inside, then Jack after him.

“You got a smart mouth on you, anyone ever tell you that?”

Spencer’s grinned, but the look in his eyes was pure malice and he saw Foyet momentarily slip. He took a step forward and crossed his arms.

“All the time.” He thought of Morgan in that moment and the dressing down he knew he would get for taunting the UnSub. But, this was Foyet. The man that had stalked, stabbed Aaron and killed Haley. Spencer felt that white hot rage yet again.

“You should watch it. That mouth could get you into trouble.” The leer on his face had Spencer narrowing his eyes. This man was so much like the Foyet in his world, that it made him pause for a moment.

“What do you think you are going to do to me Foyet?” Spencer and Jack had both activated their panic buttons by now, and he just needed to keep the man talking. Aaron would have a plan and he hoped it would happen soon.

“If I had time?” Foyet shoved Jack away and the boy fell on the floor, Spencer was about to go check on him when he was grabbed by Foyet and held close. “Oh, if I had the time I’d use a knife and enjoy marring that oh so perfect skin of yours, then, well I might use that pretty mouth, I’d break you then I might let you live and give Hotchner back his doll, broken, scarred, then we’d see how much he’d want you then.”

Spencer wanted to close his eyes, he thought of his Aaron and wondered what else had happened in that apartment after Foyet had hurt him. He wondered if he’d get the chance to find out. But, he didn’t close his eyes, instead he almost laughed at Foyet.

“You think Aaron wouldn’t want me if you scarred me? Then you know nothing.”

“Pops, don’t.” Jack cried out, his eyes wide at watching what was happening.

“It’s okay buddy, everything will be fine. I promise.”

“You really shouldn’t make those kinds of promises, Dr. Reid. Don’t want to disappoint the boy, now would we?”

“Are you going to actually do something? Or are you going to keep talking me to death?” Spencer knew it was probably the wrong thing to do, but he was just tired of Foyet. Tired of his games and his taunting, if he was going to do something, he wanted it over with. He just hoped he could control the outcome.

The crack of the gun across his face wasn’t unexpected, but the force of it had him falling to his knees. He knew he was going to twist his bad knee, there wasn’t anything he could do about it, but, he held in the smile as he fell. This was one of those times that his nimble fingers came in handy as he controlled his descent. He grimaced as he felt his knee pop, but it was the only way, the only logical outcome out of this situation. He reached down, grabbed the gun out of his ankle holster, rolled onto his back and in an almost repeat of his encounter with Dowd, he shot. This time, though, he knew exactly where he was aiming as the bullet went right through Foyet’s skull. 

Jack screamed and ran over to him, Spencer wrapped his arms around the boy as they both watched as Foyet’s now lifeless body fell to the ground. Mere moments later police were swarming the area. He heard one calling for an ambulance, Spencer knew he wasn’t going to be able to stand, he had felt the pop and knew he was in for some recovery time.

“Dr. Reid,” a detective was crouching down next to him, he looked up and recognized Detective Walker. 

“Detective. My partner is going to be on his way, I will only give my statement after I’ve been taken to the hospital and my knee looked at. And, Mr, Hotchner will be with me when I do.” The Detective raised a brow and was going to protest when more people showed up. It was the EMT’s. One of them quickly ran over to him and started to take his vitals and ask questions.

“I was shot in the knee almost two years ago. I’ve had a couple of surgeries to repair the damage, but when facing off against the UnSub, I twisted wrong and popped something internally. It happened when I was trying to get the gun in my ankle holster.”

“Okay, I’m going to have to cut away your trousers to stabilize the injury, then we’ll get you on the gurney. Is there anyone you need the hospital to call?”

“I’d rather wait till my partner gets here.”

“Dr. Reid…”

“I’d rather wait to go to the hospital till my partner gets here. Now, do what you need to stabilize me, and get me on the gurney, but we aren’t leaving till Mr. Hotchner arrives.” Spencer turned to check on Jack, the boy’s eyes filled with fear. “Hey buddy, I’m going to be fine. You hear me?”

“Yes.” Jack sat next to Spencer, holding his hand. There was activity all around them, police and the Detectives working the scene assessing the situation. Spencer had already handed over the gun he had used to shoot Foyet with. The CSU team had arrived and they started their sweep of the scene. As Spencer was being lifted onto the Gurney, Aaron’s personal security ran in the building with Aaron right in the middle of them. He ignored everyone as he went right to where Spencer was. First thing that happened was he was being kissed.

“What happened Spencer? Did he put his hands on you or Jack?” Aaron growled low in his throat, and Spencer knew he had quickly assessed the scene.

“Aaron, you need to calm down, I’ll explain everything once we get to the hospital and after x-rays are taken to see what happened to my knee. I want you there when I talk to the detective. He already has the gun, and they took my fingerprints, but I refused a statement till later.” 

“Alright.” Aaron looked at the EMT’s and nodded at them to load Spencer up in the ambulance. He then put Jack in there and he got in himself. It didn’t take long at all for them to arrive. Aaron and Jack were told to wait in a waiting room, that the doctor would be out to see them as soon as they have Spencer looked at.

After being settled into a bed in the ER, Spencer laid his head back and breathed deep. When one of the nurses came to him to give him pain medication he made sure it wasn’t a narcotic.

“And please not anything that would activate my beta-lactams. That family of antibiotics I’m very sensitive to.”

“I’ll note it on your chart Dr. Reid. It will be just a moment and the doctor will see you.” Spencer just nodded and tried not to move too much, his knee was aching and he didn’t want to do anymore damage to it. He assessed how it was feeling and had a feeling that all he did was sprain it really bad. He didn’t feel any tears, but they would have to X-Ray to make sure. His eyes were closed when he felt a hand in his hair and kiss to his lips.

“Hey, I’m fine.” Spencer opened his eyes to see Aaron staring at him intensely, assessing him.

“What’s the problem with your knee?”

“It was when I was shot two years ago. I haven’t had too many problems, but when Foyet hit me I twisted wrong and went down. But, it also gave me advantage of grabbing my gun. I think I just sprained it, but they’ll X-Ray it to be sure.”

“You did good. Foyet will never be a problem and I won’t have to...facilitate an accident in prison.”

Spencer wasn’t sure what to say to that, so he just kept his mouth shut. His day with Jack had started out so well, then turned to shit. He was exhausted and just wanted to go home. But, he wasn’t getting out of there till the Doctor looked at him. Aaron stayed with him and he hated to admit that it settled him down. The adrenaline rush was gone and though he had killed before he knew that he’d have nightmares. He was ready for it, and having Aaron there would help.

The Doctor confirmed his suspicions. He had a really bad sprain, he would need to stay off his leg for at least a week, then crutches and a soft cast for about two weeks. Light weight on it and increase activity slowly while it healed. He was given a non-narcotic pain medication prescription, then the Doctor signed him out. 

He waited for the Detective to show-up and gave his full statement. The Detective wanted to speak with Jack as well. Aaron brought Jack into the curtained off area where Spencer was and told the Detective they could do it there and that was it. The man didn’t like it, but he knew he didn’t have a choice. Especially since Aaron could block any questioning of the boy.

Finally, they were done and Spencer was leaving the hospital. He couldn’t wait to get home to put the whole awful experience behind him. He knew Aaron was going to go into mother hen mode, but he didn’t have the strength to fight him on it. When he could finally crawl into bed, he sighed in relief. With leg elevated, pillows to prop him up and a mug of tea and several books, he didn’t want for anything. He could call the kitchen for food, and JJ would be there during the day to help. Spencer just went along with whatever Aaron wanted, there wouldn’t be any use in arguing. His last thought before he started to doze was how nice it was to have someone to take care of him. The last time, he had to do it all alone. And now, he wasn’t alone anymore.


	9. Chapter Nine

#  _Our World_

Spencer was sitting in the outer area of Erin Strauss's office. He had thankfully not had the chance to interact with her much at all. What he had figured out about her, though, was that she wasn't cut out for the job she held. If she had to constantly berate anyone under her without a proper understanding of the job they did, she didn't need that job. She also didn't take the time to learn the job that those under her did, the sign of a weak leader. She was a good politician, and Spencer loathed politicians. He would happily kill nearly every single one for no other reason than they were who they were. Strauss's appointment as the Section Chief of the BAU came from the fact that Gideon hadn't wanted it, Max Ryan had retired, and Rossi was never going to be considered given his past history, nor did he want it. She was also given it because at the time the BAU was filled with men. The harshness of the crimes, and the fact that it was all gruesome, didn't lend for many women to want into it. Strauss's appointment was more political than who was right for the job. And the BAU was paying for that. 

It wasn't a slight on women, it was just that women like Prentiss weren't just around every corner. The BAU was rough on every member, and more turned out like Elle Greenaway than not, male or female. 

Spencer knew exactly what Strauss was doing, telling him to report to a meeting at one, and then delaying him by not meeting with him. He had brought along three case files and the rough draft of his current thesis for another master's. He bided his time well, finding something that the other Spencer was debating on going after, and doing it. Everything was laid out on the computer for Spencer to find if they switched before he defended it. 

By the time that Strauss's assistant told him he could enter, he had finished all three case files, and his current draft of the thesis. He gathered his things slowly, putting them all in the correct order before he stood and moved to the office. Strauss was still on the phone, so Spencer sat down and opened the thesis again. He listened to her finish her call, but he didn't look up. He was going to force her to initiate contact. He had dealt with bullies bigger than her and had never backed down. His balls were bigger than hers.

"Agent Reid, if I could have your attention," Strauss said in a clipped tone that told Spencer that she was not happy being ignored. Spencer fumbled at his phone a little, turning on the record button, he wanted proof of this conversation. 

"Sorry, Ma'am. I was allowing you to finish what your were doing. You are obviously very busy, and my work for the day is already done. I was just waiting patiently." Spencer crossed his legs and sat back, setting all of his files in the chair next to him. He looked at her with a smile. He knew what this meeting was about, and he wasn't thrilled. He was going to act dumb though.

"Be that as it may, you are now delaying me."

"Sorry, Ma'am. Your assistant didn't tell me what this was about."

"Your conduct on the last case."

"I see. I wasn't aware that I did anything wrong at all." Spencer knew that he had done something off, but it had only been a verbal disagreement from the team, but he had made them see his way of thinking, using logic and facts. The UnSub had been caught before he had taken another victim, and before he had killed his last.

"Agents Hotchner and Rossi's reports were very detailed, as they normally are. I had to read between the lines."

"I see. And what did you read between the lines?" Spencer didn't react at all. She was trying to profile him and her skills were sorely lacking, osmosis didn't work for profiling. Spencer had become better with access to FBI manuals, and such on profiling, but even he had to work at it. He saw it as an opportunity to be better for his Aaron when he got back to him. But, Strauss wouldn't be able to profile a burnt out lightbulb correctly. 

"You lied to your Unit Chief and teammates, and put not only your life in danger, but Agent Morgan's as well, all for ego. It was pure dumb luck that you and Morgan weren't killed by the man you were chasing."

"I don't think that any luck that I have can be called dumb, but how did you come about that thought based solely on Hotch and Rossi's reports?" Spencer had read both of them very quickly as they had been open on Aaron's desk the day before. It was right before lunch, and just before Rossi's was signed off on and sent up the chain. 

"I've learned to read between the lines of what the team actually states in their reports."

"So you are accusing Agent Hotchner, and Agent Rossi of lying? To what end?" Spencer stared at her and tried to figure out the point of this whole endeavour. How was going after him going to affect the team? Even he knew that the other Spencer was the baby of the team. Everyone defended him, not just Aaron. He was the worst choice to go after, unless she thought that going after him was going to cause Aaron to try and take her on, and maybe get him fired. He'd dug up enough on her to end her, but he hadn't because she hadn't got in his way, nor had she done a thing yet that hadn't been fixable. He had planned to leave it in the other Spencer's hands on what exactly happened with her. It probably wasn't going to stay that way.

"To suit their own ends. You misled Agent Hotchner and he allowed it through whatever misguided attempt he has to protect you. The whole team protects you, you are their weakest link."

"I did not misled Agent Hotchner, nor did I lie to him on this last case. I brought up my thinking on what the UnSub was doing, and why, and after explaining the entire psychopathy behind it, the entire team agreed with me. At no point did my stint undercover to pinpoint the UnSub cause anyone to come under harm, and no one was even threatened until I caused the UnSub to snap and reveal himself. Agent Hotchner at no point was upset with me and my ability to perform on the case. So Ma'am, I have to ask, what is the point of this meeting?"

"You are on unpaid leave for a week and will stay here at Quantico for at least two cases after that. I want to make sure that you are not a liability to the team. You will go for a full psychological evaluation before returning to work in a week, and if they sign off on you being allowed back on the team, only then will you be allowed to travel on cases again after your two case suspension." Strauss handed over a file of paperwork. Spencer took it and read over it before looking up at her. 

"Excuse me Ma'am, but this is not the standard form for a punishable offense. If you want to sanction me, I will fight it. My Unit Chief hasn't had a single issue with me or my work, and you haven't even been on a case with the team outside of the trip to the military academy in years. You have not kept up on any of the newer studies that have been published by the FBI on Criminal Profiling."

"You are not to talk to me like that, Agent Reid. You are on unpaid leave until I allow you back."

"Yes, Ma'am. Of course, Ma'am. But I am not signing these papers. If you want to bring me in front of the disciplinary committee, please do so. If that is all Ma'am. I'm going to go to my desk and collect my things, Ma'am."

"I want your badge and gun."

Spencer narrowed his eyes at her. He took off his ID card from his hip where it was attached to his shirt, next he took off his holster and set the gun down. 

"My badge is in my desk drawer. I'll gladly run it up."

"You have to sign there before you go."

"No, Ma'am. I don't. If I take the punishment and agree with the punishment I do. I do not have to sign them if I don't agree and want to fight it. I will be doing that. After I collect my things."

"I'm going to have you escorted out as I will have your badge and ID."

"Fine." Spencer was making plans before he even stood up. He grabbed the files, and his thesis and moved out of the room. A guard met him before he even made it three steps from the door. The man followed him and didn't say a thing as he moved to his desk a floor down, and took his personal things. Spencer handed his badge over to him and that was when Prentiss noticed what was going on. 

"Reid?"

"I'll let Hotch explain." Spencer closed his desk drawer and hung his bag over his shoulder before grabbing his daily files, and moved to Aaron's office. Aaron looked at him in concern. 

"Strauss has put me off for two weeks pending a psych evaluation before I can return. Unpaid. I'll be calling HR as soon as I get home. I'm being escorted out of the building in a few minutes as you can see." Spencer pointed behind himself and watched as Aaron's eyes grew wide as hell at the man who was in his doorway. "I've finished all the files on my desk, and I finished the entire write up for the case. She is citing that my ability to get you all to understand the UnSub that we went after, and the fact that the team was in danger as the reason why. I don't understand what is going on, but she has my ID, and my gun, and I gave my badge to him." Spencer pointed to the man behind him. "I'm letting you know that I am going to fight this."

"My report was perfect. There was nothing...the case after Owen Savage was the worst report I've ever done for you. I gave you glowing remarks..." Aaron trailed off. He looked down as if it would help and then back up. "I don't understand."

"I don't either. Please, Hotch. Find out and tell the team what I have told you I don't want to explain it again. Don't let Morgan blow up either. I don't need him getting in trouble over me." Spencer tried to put the right inflections in and Spencer knew that he had when Aaron's eyes went bug eyed wide. There was pain in them and the man nodded. "I drove in with you so I'm going to catch the train home."

"Of course, I'll get this straightened out, Reid. I promise you that."

"I know that Hotch. You don't break your promises."

Spencer moved with swift feet out of the bullpen. Prentiss had rounded up JJ, Morgan, and Garcia, Rossi was standing outside of his office, looking over everything with a frown on his face. Spencer knew that Strauss and him had started something, but Spencer didn't care about that, if she was fucking with the team, she was probably using Rossi for information. Strauss cared more about herself, and for whatever reason, she was targeting Spencer, and the only reason he could think of was Aaron. Or she was worried that Spencer had his eyes on her job. He had the degrees for it and with adding another it was seemingly a little odd, but neither him nor the correct Spencer had their eyes on Unit Chief, much less Section. She was going to use Spencer and any other agent on the team to undermine Aaron, who she couldn't believe that he was happy where he was. She was a climber, and she didn't understand people like Aaron. The only reason Aaron would take the Section Chief job was if he was the only option to not get a wild card. 

There were a lot of plans to be made, and there was a lot of reading for Spencer to do. When he had read through all of Spencer's letters to and from his mother, he skipped sections where he talked about Strauss. He'd put the woman as a non-player in the game he would be playing. He hadn't expected this move, and he was going to make sure that whatever she had planned was going to backfire on her.

* * *

Spencer spent his two weeks off preparing for the utter decimation of Erin Strauss. He upped the defending of his newest degree telling the committee that he had found himself off of work, and that after he most likely be working a great deal so it was best to do it early. The committee had been more than willing. After he had done that he reached out to a friend that he had been staying away from in this world. Alex Blake. Partially because she had a chance of figuring out that he wasn't who he was, and also because he was afraid he would slip and ask about her child Ethan. Finding out that he had not been saved in this world had nearly caused him to do something stupid. Instead he looked into the research that had been done and accessed forums that parents and scientists were on. and steered them in the right direction. It wouldn't help Ethan, but it would help those who came after. He wondered if the other Spencer was getting his hands on all of it to bring it home with him. 

Alex Blake wasn't much different in the world that Spencer found himself in. There was the ache of loss all over her, but her morals were still where they should be. A few lunches over the time that Spencer was on his unpaid mandatory leave, and Spencer found that this world's Strauss had screwed her even more. While waiting for the committee to finish whatever case they were looking at before, Spencer thought back to the last meal he'd had with her.

"I don't remember her being this...unstable before," Alex had said as they were both paying the bill at a local restaurant. 

"Hotch got her help at a rehab facility for alcoholics, so I am not sure that she's not drinking again. I know that her divorce didn't help in that regard. I also know that her and Rossi have started something. You would think with her getting anything, she'd be more mellow." Spencer smirked as the waiter had taken both cards away to make payment. 

"I just can't see her with him. There was always something there, but he's too unstable for her liking. Maybe she's changed a lot," Alex had said but hadn't commented on Spencer's word choices even if her eyebrow had gone up. "Just like you have. I have been taking that the silence was partially the job, and the rest your new found partner. You've talked circles around him for a while now, sounding me out, and I know that the love bite there on your neck is recent so you must have landed him. Yet you have not brought him around to dinner like James wanted you to so there is a reason why."

"You already know, Alex so you might as well spit it out," Spencer said with a smile. He propped his head on his hand and smiled at her as he toyed with the fork on the table. Dessert was long gone, and the waiter had brought out two forks for each dessert probably expecting them to share, but it wasn't something that Spencer liked to do. Aaron and Jack were the only ones that Spencer ate after. If they carried any germs, Spencer would get them from contact so it made sense that he wouldn't need to worry about catching anything from them from eating or drinking after them.

"How is Hotch taking to having sexual relations with a man who is nearly two decades younger than him, and a subordinate?" Alex had a smile on her face that was totally happy. She was genuinely happy for him. There was something else there, and Spencer couldn't quite put his finger on it. 

"The adjustment period was a little rocky, but he's doing fine, up until Strauss. It's just too much in a row that has to do with the FBI."

"Yes, I heard about ADD Richmond, and then Gideon was news within hours. It had to rock the both of you. Suicide wasn't anything that I thought that Gideon would ever do, but given all that had happened, I'm not as shocked as I think I should be. I'm very glad that you had him for that. Is he treating you well?"

"Are you going to give him the shovel talk? Isn't that what they call it?" Spencer asked, his mind was a little blank on that. 

"No. I don't think that Hotch would ever be the kind of man that needed to have someone give them shovel talk. But given what you have told me before, if anyone is going to do it it'll be Morgan, possibly JJ."

"JJ knows. Morgan does not. I'd rather that Aaron and I are a little more settled before Morgan finds out."

"Yes, neighbors. Your last letter had a new address, and I knew that I knew it, and it didn't take long at all to find it on the Christmas card that Hotch sent me this past year. How do you feel about a joint one this year?"

"We can't exactly send out a family Christmas card, Alex."

"To a few you could. Just those that know. Matching sweaters for all three of you. I'm sure that Jack would be all for that picture shoot. Maybe even talk Hotch into reindeer ears..." Alex's smile was even bigger and while Spencer knew that she was just playing with him, it sparked a memory in Spencer's mind. 

In his world, Aaron, Jack, and him did pictures like that. Their last Christmas shoot had been staged, but it had been exactly what Aaron had needed it to be. The pictures had gone out to everyone that they had business deals with, those that worked with Aaron, and a few other contacts. Spencer and Jack had been in near matching outfits, while Aaron had been in expertly tailored slacks and a red silk shirt. Spencer's sweater was one that had only been bought for that picture shoot while Jack wore his to school as much as he could with the penguin on it. He even wore it to the law firm's family Christmas party. 

"Where did you go there?" 

"Just a little worried about the committee meeting in two days," Spencer had answered in fear of telling the truth. Alex accepted it and Spencer knew that the only reason was because the Spencer he was playing had no reason to lie to her. 

"You'll be fine. There is no fault. Strauss thinks that she's going to win because she's the Section Chief, and a woman. The political climate that put her in place doesn't blow the same way. There is no black mark on your record. Your Unit Chief, and the rest of your team had no issue with how the case went. She's going to have to prove a great deal of things for there to be a black mark on your record after this."

"Thanks. I know that. but I am still worried that maybe she knows about Aaron and I. and that she is going to use it. She wants Aaron out of his job. I think she is afraid that she would be pushed elsewhere if he even hinted that he wanted a desk job."

"Hotch doesn't want a desk job."

Spencer had made an agreement noise but he wasn't all that sure anymore. 

"How did you know?" Spencer asked. Someone closer to the team, he could see but her? She had never seen them together.

"The last time that you came to speak in my class, you wore a tie I had got him for his birthday a few years back. It was one of a kind that I found at a kiosk in Africa after visiting James." 

The doors to the committee hall opened and Spencer stood up, shaking off the memory, he didn't need to be distracted. Aaron had been standing beside him the entire time, but the rest of the team had been trying for calm and had scattered.

"Agent Reid, Chief Strauss, we are ready for you." 

The court like room was filled with people. Spencer didn't recognize many of them, but he brushed them all off. He took the seat that he was escorted to. The only thing that had been done so far was that his badge and ID had been delivered by Aaron when he had arrived home the day after Spencer had been all but thrown out of the building.

"This committee meeting is going to be a little bit more informal than the last you were at, Doctor Reid," the woman sitting in the middle of the raised dais said. Spencer took the seat that she waved at him to sit in. He sat down and Strauss took a table that was right to his left. She was alone at the table. Aaron sat down beside Spencer, and the rest of the team took a seat in the pew behind the table. 

"Excuse me," Strauss started, but with a look from the woman at the dais, she stopped.

"Chief Strauss, you did not call this committee. Doctor Reid didn't call it either. He called a meeting, and it was in the preparation for that meeting that the the Deputy Assistant Director in charge of overseeing the section that the BAU is a part of has found that what he's been lead to believe is the issue with the BAU isn't actually the issue."

A man cleared his throat and Spencer looked at him. He was sure that he'd seen him on the news in his world. A bastion of fixing corruption in the New York City justice system. Someone who was good in both worlds, it seemed. 

"I have to commend the A team of the BAU on their ability to creatively lie in their reports," Dylan Keith said. 

Strauss smirked. Spencer held in his snort. 

"I wouldn't take that stance, Chief Strauss. This is going back years. In a discussion that I had with Agent Prentiss, I found out the full reason that she was placed inside the BAU as well as the full reason that Agent Hotchner was suspended for two weeks, and almost transferred out of the BAU when Gideon left. It seems that Chief Strauss's protection of the BAU is only when it serves her. The A Team has had the highest solve rate that it's ever had with the least amount of casualties after they have been called in, in years. Agent Hotchner's leading of the team as well as its current make up is not in question. Chief Strauss you went with the team on a case in Milwaukee. The case files for it, as well as the after action reports cite that you did little to help the team even before Agents Hotchner, and Prentiss rejoined the team. What was your reason for placing Agent Prentiss on the team?"

"The team at that point was down a woman, and while the team had Agent Jareau she was more involved with her liaison job and not adding a female perspective to cases."

"Agent Hotchner's short list of agents to add to the team were all female. Why did you add a member without his or Agent Gideon's approval to the team that was not on their short list?"

"They were taking too long."

"In your mind. This team hunts the worst of the worst. They go up against the people that cause nightmares. They have to trust each other, and you planted a mole in the team to try and get information to hang Agents Hotchner and Gideon with. What would you have done if Agent Hotchner had revealed that he had known what she was from the start? Would you have pulled her or kept her there? No one on that team would have trusted her. Victims would have suffered and we could have lost members of the team."

"I would have kept her there. She earned it."

"No, she proved that she belonged. but she didn't earn it. She would have been stellar on another team, and moved up at a later time, but you played politics. On the case in Milwaukee, you offended a veteran cop who had been on the team hunting Jeffrey Dahmer. He was a veteran and did exactly what he was instructed to do, and had done for years. Detective Wolynski filed a report that you were exactly what the BAU tries not to be when called into cases. The BAU works with local law enforcement and doesn't take over. They don't chastise them like children. You wanted to show that you were smarter, and better, and you failed at it. You had no field experience and it showed. You were no help and was more a of a hinderance in that case."

"Excuse me," Strauss said when Keith took a breath. 

"No. It's my turn to speak, Chief Strauss. I want to talk about Somerville Academy."

"What about it?"

"There are certain situations where politics do come into what the BAU does, but if it's the politics of keeping a military academy with a gleaming reputation at the expense of the children that go there, it's not the time. You were more than willing to not look deep enough or hard enough into the practices of the school to figure out why those boys were dead."

"I'd like to explain myself."

"There is no reason. The BAU has been doing exemplary work despite having you at it's head. Case in point, the suspension of Doctor Reid for no reason. We all went over the case file, and there was glowing remarks from the reports submitted by the LEOs on the case. He was pointed out as the entire reason the case was cracked, and that without him, many more would have died. He's never been written up before by Gideon or by Hotchner. His degrees make him an asset to the FBI. Even reading between the lines, as you put it when you told Reid that he was being put on suspension, we can find no reason. You said he was reckless, I say that it was one of the least reckless times this team has had. There were no injuries besides the papercut that Agent Morgan it seemed groaned about the entire flight back." Keith sat back and looked at the woman beside him and nodded.

"It also seems that Agent Hotchner went out of his way to get you into alcohol rehab, and made it so that it wasn't traceable back, and still this is how you repay them? The team has more loyalty to a woman that they hate then you have in the protection of those you should be protecting. You are a black mark on the BAU, and the FBI. At the conclusion of this meeting, you will no longer be employed by the FBI, and with the actions you have taken, you will not be getting any severance or benefits."

Spencer kept his reaction calm, but hadn't seen it coming. He knew that the reason the meeting had been so late after his suspension was that they had been doing some looking into things. It seemed that a lot of meetings had happened. He hadn't known that Aaron had talked to them. The personal side of their relationship between them had grown stronger. Spencer was enjoying dropping Jack off to school and picking him up every single day, but he was missing doing some kind of work besides school work. 

"Doctor Reid, your gun is waiting on your desk. You will be paid for your two weeks off, and given another week off that will match up with the rest of the team. In that time, we will start the search for a new Section Chief."

Spencer and the team were dismissed but Aaron had to stay behind. Spencer wanted to wait for him, but he had to get Jack from school. Jessica had been on standby in case the committee hearing took longer, but it hadn't. Jack would be excited to have him and Aaron there for the next week. It would be a wonderful week. Spencer thought about what he was going to do over it. He had a lot of planning to do because Strauss's punishment wasn't over.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer had moved from crutches to a cane during his recovery. He was leaning on that cane as he slowly paced back and forth in the lab. The calculations were still off by a slim margin. His brain was trying to go back through everything they had done so far. The original build, the accident, the new build, and all the experiments to try to recreate the original experiment that brought him here. His frustration was high, and his anxiety over nothing working was giving him his migraines again. He hadn’t had one in months, but the last couple of weeks, he had been having them almost daily. The knee was healing, but he still had pain from it as well. He sat down in one of the chairs at the desk in the main lab area, and looked at a recent picture that Jack had someone take of the three of them together. Spencer smiled as a lump caught in his throat as he ran a finger across the picture.

He was going to have to make some very hard decisions. It had been more than four months of zero results, of constant, almost daily failures. They had hit a plateau that Spencer didn’t think they could get over, and frankly, he was just tired of trying. He knew the reality, it could take them many more months, years or it could all be for naught. As he looked at the picture he was beginning to wonder if it was worth it to try anymore.

“Spencer!”

He looked up to see Charlie staring at him. Furrowing his brow he stared at his friend.

“I want to stop Charlie.”

“What? No, Spencer we are so close, we can’t stop.” Charlie protested as Spencer leaned back in his chair.

“I can’t do this anymore Charlie. The hope that we’ll find the answer every time I step into this lab is crushing me. I don’t know how many more disappointments I can take.” He picked up the picture again and knew that it wasn’t perfect. None of this was perfect by any means, but he had a home, friends who not only cared, but actually respected him. He was someone in this world. His name commanded respect in the academic world, where in his own he had always been an awkward speaker. Making inappropriate jokes, talking over people’s heads. Here they listened to what he had to say. He was respected at work, work that was surprisingly satisfying. The chance to continue working on degrees, and so much more. He would miss his mother. He would mourn for her, and it would be an ache that could never be filled. A wound that would always stay open, but these were the choices. Continue this day-to-day disappointment, or stop the whole endeavor and move on. It was an impossible choice, because no matter what happened, ultimately it was him, and his counterpart, that would pay the ultimate price.

Then there was Aaron and Jack. Here he had the family he had longed for. It wasn’t perfect, it would never _be_ perfect. Aaron was a psychopath. He killed people, manipulated others, took what he wanted, and never felt remorse for anything he did. But, still, he was _Aaron_. Underneath it all there were similarities.

And, he was different. Almost six months in this world and he had changed on a fundamental level. His mind was calmer, his will was stronger, he was more confidant, and, the biggest change, he was a submissive. Spencer closed his eyes and wondered if it had been in him all the time. It, at times, frightened him by just how much he wanted to fall at Aaron’s feet and do whatever he wanted. They had talked about hard limits, things he wouldn’t do, even outside the bedroom. Killing was one of them. What he did to Foyet, he did to protect Jack, he would have been happy to see the man rot in prison. He still believed in justice, and the law. Unless he, or his family was in danger, he made it perfectly clear to Aaron that he would not kill. Aaron wasn’t pushing it, which Spencer was grateful for.

But, he wondered. He wondered if he could. He wondered if he stayed in this world permanently, if he could kill. There had been times he was tempted. The mob father that killed the kid in front of him, Breitkopf, Foyet, Baylor, and others. He had thought about killing them, but he knew he would never be able to do it in his own world. But, here? If he did stop, would he lose that last part of him and become fully _Aaron’s_. Sighing, he set the photo aside and stood.

“I, at least, need a break Charlie. I can’t keep doing this. And no matter what happens, even if I decide to start again and it works, how do I start over again?” Spencer didn’t wait for Charlie to answer, he just limped his way to his car and drove back to the place that had become home.

When Spencer arrived, he pulled into the garage and sat in the car, not looking around, not even trying to get out yet. His mind was in turmoil and the headache was pounding in his head. He knew if he told Aaron of his decision there would be anger and a fight. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that. He felt raw, and emotionally drained. He knew what this was, it was the depression that he had been fighting for a while now. He knew if he gave in, it would take a long-time to crawl back out. Finally, swallowing hard, he grabbed his satchel and briefcase and exited the car. Cane in one hand, he limped to the door that connected garage to house, and silently made his way upstairs.

Putting his briefcase in his office, he then silently moved to the bedroom. As much as he wanted to see Jack, he wanted to be alone even more. Stepping inside the bedroom, he hung his satchel on it’s hook behind the door, changed his clothes into something comfortable and sat down on his side of the bed. He pulled out the album of pictures that he began collecting since finding himself trapped in this world. 

Slowly turning the pages, most of the first ones were of Jack. At the park, the time they went to a local fair, the bookstore, weekends at a beach house. Little moments captured, and though they were all tucked into his memories, if he succeeded in the experiment, these would be lost to him. As he got closer to the middle, the pictures changed and it was the three of them. Aaron, Jack and himself. Closing his eyes as he closed the album, his heart ached in a way it had never before. Ending the experiments meant he would never get time with his Aaron and Jack. He would never make these memories, and there was a painful grief that started in his gut and cut through his whole body. He knew they weren’t dead, not in the true sense of the word, but they would be dead for him. 

Spencer set the album inside the drawer, then took out the journals he had been keeping for his counterpart. He read through them, but took his time doing it. The changes to himself were there in stark reality. He documented it all, from the first time Aaron and he had sex, to just the night before when they had dinner with Tony to see how he was settling in. These too he closed and set back in the drawer. Feeling lost, he stood and walked to the long set of dressers and opened up the black walnut jewelry box Aaron had given him just before their trip to Atlantic City. He carefully lifted the lid and ghosted his fingers over the midnight blue velvet that lined the box.

Spencer touched the different collars sitting there. Each given to him at different times. Aaron liked giving them to him. And it was evident that it was a carryover from how he treated his own Spencer. Reaching behind his neck he unlocked the one he was wearing and switched it for the purple one from his first days in this world. He put in on and even set the locking mechanism himself. He looked up in the mirror attached to the dresser and frowned. He didn’t know why he no longer recognized who he was. Putting the other collar in the box Spencer turned, walked to the bed and grabbed the cuffs from the cubby and put them on. He then crawled under the sheets, curled up in a ball and fought against the tears.

He didn’t even stir when he heard someone come into the room, he knew it was Aaron, but he didn’t have the energy to acknowledge him. He knew he was giving in, giving up.

“Kitten?” Aaron asked and Spencer heard the concern in his voice, he just pulled in tighter to himself. He felt the bed dip and he fought against turning to the man, but in the end he did. When arms came around him and held him without questions, he sighed and let some of the tension he hadn’t realized he was holding in, go. In moments, he was fast asleep, tired from the emotions.

He wasn’t sure how long he slept, but as he opened his eyes he felt Aaron under him. He wasn’t alone and he hated that he had come to depend on that. That he liked waking up and not being alone in bed. 

“Spencer, what happened? Why are you wearing this collar?” Aaron gripped the purple collar he was wearing.

“I told Charlie I want to stop the experiments.” He cast his eyes down and wouldn’t look Aaron in the face, but the tension now in the man’s body, he knew he was angry.

“Why?” The biting tone and the harder grip on the collar had Spencer scared for the first time in months.

“I can’t do it anymore Aaron. The hope, it’s starting to paralyze me. I can’t go in that lab thinking that it was going to be that day, that we’d break through and it would work and I’d go home and you get him back. I know my decision affects more than myself, it affects so many people, but it _hurts_ and it just keeps hurting.” Spencer was on the verge of a panic attack and he knew it. He sat-up quickly and swung his legs so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed with his head between his legs, he quelled the hyperventilating, but the shaking started and his head was pounding.

He barely registered Aaron coming around the bed and sitting in front of him. Slowly the cuffs were being taken off him, which he tried to protest, but one look from his lover stopped him.

“I know this is hard, I know you feel like you’re failing, but you can’t give-up Spencer. You need to keep going, keep trying.”

Spencer looked at Aaron, there was pain and anger flashing through them as he glared, hard at the man.

“Don’t you get it? This is killing me. I know I fucked-up, I know I did this, but it could be months, maybe even years to figure it out. I can’t do this for _years_. I just can’t.”

Aaron stood and glared down at Spencer the hard look on his face did nothing to quell the fear he felt. 

“You will continue, you fucked it up, and that was our agreement. That you would fix this goddamit.”

Spencer surged off the bed and stared Aaron down, even through the fear coursing through him.

“I don’t know how!” Spencer shouted. He had never shouted at Aaron, the closest he ever came was when he yelled at him for Owen Savage. 

A hand shot out and gripped his hair, hard. Harder than ever before. Aaron’s eye hardened and Spencer saw the psychopath within. He knew Aaron wouldn’t kill him, he knew he wouldn’t be raped, but it didn’t mean that Aaron wouldn’t punish him in some way.

“Then you figure it out. Do we understand each other?”

Spencer closed his eyes and tried to stop the tears that formed, his breathing became shallow as he could no longer hide the fear inside him.

“Sir, please, I...I can’t.” Spencer didn’t know what else to say, but he knew that was the very wrong thing as Aaron jerked him by his hair with one hand, pushing him down on the bed. Spencer knew he couldn’t run, he wouldn’t get very far, and when Aaron stalked over to the cabinet to grab a few things Spencer was shaking.

“You can’t or you won’t?” 

“Aaron, S-Sir, wh-what are you going to do?”

“You need a few days to think about this.” The look on Aaron’s face had Spencer trying to scramble away, but his ankle was caught in an iron grip as cuffs were then attached. Aaron then straddled his waist, Spencer tried to buck him off, but Aaron’s heftier frame and how he was pinned down on the bed gave him no leverage. The cock cage that was snapped around him had him screaming. His hands pinned above his head as Aaron loomed over him.

“This will all go away, all you have to do is agree to continue. I will _NOT_ let my Pet be stranded in your world and _you_ need to fix it.”

Tears spilled as he looked pleadingly up at Aaron. “I can’t. I can’t fix it, don’t you get it? Nothing is working, _nothing_. Please Aaron, please.” Spencer pleaded, but he knew he wasn’t getting through. Aaron stood and he was jerked to his feet. Cuffs were around his wrists, but he didn’t remember when they were put there. Spencer felt empty, as Aaron dressed him in loose pants, but no shirt. A leash attached to his collar and he was being pulled along. He had no idea what was going to happen or what punishment Aaron had in store, but it couldn’t be worse than his own self-punishment.

When they got to the basement, Spencer knew where they were going and his heart was pounding in fear as they walked inside to the cells down there. Spencer had not paid much attention to what else was down there other than Gideon. 

“A few days down here, isolated, just might make you change your mind.” The door at the end of the small hallway had gone unnoticed by Spencer, but now that he saw it, he started to back away, fear spiking sharply inside him. Aaron punched a code into the keypad to the side of the door. The leash jerked and he almost fell, but Aaron pulled him roughly and pushed him inside.

“Please, Aaron, please don’t do this.”

“Have you changed your mind Kitten?”

“Aaron,” Spencer pleaded as he sank to his knees in Aaron’s favorite position. “This isn’t easy for me, please don’t do this.”

He heard chains. Then Aaron ordered him onto the single bed in the room.

“I only punished my Pet like this once. He learned, right away, I’m hoping you will too.” The chains snapped around the cuffs and the slack tightened. The leash was attached to a ring on the wall. He couldn’t move, even an inch. The hard, dangerous glare Aaron was giving him reminded him just what kind of man he was dealing with. He had grown complacent, and trusting. Now, he was scared like he hadn’t been for a long-time.

“Aaron I beg you, don’t do this, please don’t.”

“I’m giving you a couple of days to think about this. This isn’t only about you Spencer, once you get that, I’ll let you out.” Aaron turned on his heels and walked out of the room, Spencer shouting after him. Once he closed the door, he could no longer hear him, the room was sound proofed. Aaron walked away, his heart breaking in more ways than one, but he wouldn’t show it, he wouldn’t let anyone see the cracks, and by the time he got back upstairs he hardened his heart and wasn’t going to give in.

Spencer heard the door click shut and struggled against the chains, he shouted at Aaron but deep down knew the man couldn’t hear him, then the despair at being left alone, chained up, his cock wrapped in a punishment cage, he raged. He raged against Aaron, against how he had changed, against the whole fucked-up situation. He raged till he was hoarse, then kept going. He gave up on struggling to get out, he knew it was useless. His body and his mind were exhausted as he laid there staring at the ceiling. He didn’t even want to speculate on what his counterpart could have done to get him locked-up like this, and truthfully he didn’t care.

His eyes started to droop as he fought against the sleep that wanted to overtake him, but in the end he couldn’t help it, and fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

“Where’s the kid?” Dave walked into Aaron’s office and sat in one of the club chairs after helping himself to a glass of whiskey.

“In a time out.” Aaron glared.

“Hmm, what did he do Aaron? Not live up to your too high expectations?” Dave sipped as he crossed his legs and glared right back.

“He wants to end the experiments. I told him he couldn’t.”

“I see, so this is all about you and what you want, right?’

Aaron narrowed his eyes as he turned fully to look at Dave.

“And what the hell does that mean?”

“You’ve been trying to shape that young man into your Spencer, and he is so far gone in love with you that he let it happen. Yet, you seem to have forgotten one thing.”

“And what is that?” The hard tone in Aaron’s voice would have any other person backing off, but Dave wasn’t any other person. He practically raised the boy that became the man sitting in front of him, and felt a pang of responsibility. His love for Aaron had blinded him to the truth of him, and he wondered, not for the first time, if Gideon had been right.

“That you let Spencer have an opinion, you let him voice his wants and needs. You never wanted a slave. You helped him through his fears, and his pain, and most important you forced him to deal with his pain. This punishing this Spencer? That is purely about you and the fact you have not dealt with losing your Spencer. It’s been almost six months Aaron, you are allowed to grieve.”

Aaron looked down into the glass he was gripping, his knuckles almost white. He hated that Dave was right. In trying to re-shape Spencer into his pet he hadn’t let himself grieve. He had hope that Charlie and Spencer would succeed. He took a deep breath and realized that what he was really feeling was anger. He was angry this whole thing had happened, and he had not come to terms with the possibility that his love was lost to him, forever.

“Don’t take your grief and anger out on the one person that could fix this. You break his trust now? Aaron he won’t even want to try. Talk to him, compromise. Let him have a couple of weeks to rest because I can assure you that what you may be feeling, the kid is feeling ten times worse.” Dave stood and left the room leaving Aaron alone with his thoughts. 

He set his glass down and called the one person that could talk him down from the ledge he was now teetering on. Dave was right, if he broke Spencer’s trust, why would he want to even try the experiments again? He had just as strong as a spiteful streak as his Spencer, and that spite turned on him he didn’t think he wanted to experience it. Taking a deep breath he picked up his phone and dialed the number by heart.

“Jax, I...” The confession was hard because he never asked for help. “Help me Jax, I think I fucked-up.”

* * *

Spencer didn’t know how long he slept, but the sound of the door opening woke him. He warily watched as Aaron moved around the room, undoing the restraints, then pulled his pants down just enough to take off the cock cage. He was being lifted off the bed, and half carried back upstairs. His mind was trying to process what was happening now, but he was so mixed-up he just couldn’t. Aaron led him into the bathroom where a hot bath was waiting. He tried to pull away as some of those old insecurities welled up, and he tried to curl into himself.

Aaron sighed as he lowered them into the bath. He hadn’t said a word yet, and it was scaring Spencer.

“You didn’t deserve what I did. Jackson called me a few names, and Dave, well you can imagine what he said to me.”

Spencer moved to the opposite end of the bathtub, pulled his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He glared at Aaron as he tried to think.

“Then why did you do it?”

Aaron didn’t try to reach for Spencer, he let him have his space.

“As much as I want you to be him, you aren’t. You have given me your submission freely, and you’ve slotted yourself in my world surprisingly easy and…” Aaron looked to the side. This show of vulnerability was freaking Spencer out a little. He had gotten used to the hard, demanding Aaron. The one that could tip over to outright evil, but hadn’t...yet. He had to admit, with Foyet now out of the way he wondered how far Aaron would go.

“And, what?”

“I could forget for a while that you are my Spencer. Shaping you, pushing you, it was all to make you like him. I haven’t let myself accept that you are different. As Dave pointed out to me, I haven’t grieved his loss. I wanted to assume that your experiment would work, and I didn’t give a fuck at the toll it took on you because, well, it is your fault.”

Spencer turned away and laid his head on his legs and sighed. The guilt and pain of what happened flared up, but he kept a tight leash on his emotions.

“It is my fault. You don’t know how sorry I am Aaron. I’m tired, I am. Every failure is painful. I feel myself losing my Aaron and my old life more and more. Then, I think about what happens if I succeed? I’ve changed. Here, I have everything, there I only have my work and my mother. I don’t have a home, not really. So, I go back and I lose again.”

“A compromise then. Take two weeks, rest, then try again. Not just for me Spencer, but for all of us that are affected by this.”

Spencer uncurled and moved over to Aaron. He sat in his lap and laid his head against his shoulder.

“And if it doesn’t work? If Charlie and I try again, how much longer? How much longer do I have to keep going?”

Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer and laid his head against his head.

“We'll talk time limit, breaks, and when we both know to concede.”

Closing his eyes, Spencer nodded. He could agree to that, while he reconciled himself to the fact he may never get back home.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer missed his own world for a million reasons, but there was one big reason other than he was missing his Aaron and his Jack. He really wanted to be able to take Erin Strauss and paralyze her before sticking her in a bathtub that was slowly filled with acid, watching her die slowly while she could do nothing about it. His revenge wouldn't be that though. 

After Strauss had been fired from the FBI, Spencer had done a lot more research into the way the past had gone in this world, and found that Alex Blake and a man named John Curtis had been blamed for a failure that hadn't been their own. Strauss had blamed them to save her own ass, and Curtis had been watching both Strauss and Blake. Curtis was smart, close to Spencer's level but nowhere near smart enough to be able to beat him. 

The MPD spent a week trying to find the animal that had poisoned Strauss's three kids. The B Team for the BAU was even dispatched to help. The A Team came back just a day after the B Team had been called onto that case. Aaron kept them as far away from it as possible, including taking a case in Washington state to get them away. Spencer devoted every single brain cell that he could to get the case done as soon as possible. It still took five days. The day that the A Team arrived back in DC, Strauss' ex-husband was found dead in his bathroom from the exact same poison. Poison was, for the most part, a woman's method of killing and with Strauss drinking it was made clear that she had no way of killing any of them, even though the evidence was leading there, so the B Team started to look outward. 

Strauss was put under watch and everyone waited. The end game was profiled as the UnSub killing her or taunting her in her misery. Even with her disgrace at leaving the FBI, the B Team had been doing it's best to find the person who had killed four innocent people to get back at her. Every single person in her past that she had ever wronged was looked into. With the kid's death, even Spencer and the rest of the A Team was looked into, but since the ex-husband had been killed before they'd got back from Washington state, eyes turned elsewhere within the FBI. It took two days for eyes to turn to Alex Blake and John Curtis. Alex, though, was visiting James in Cape Town, Africa for both deaths, and was still out of the country while John Curtis had purchased the exact poison online. The vial found in his house was missing the exact amount that had been estimated to be used in the death of the kids and ex-husband. The amount of photos of Strauss, Alex, and even the A Team of the BAU that Curtis had in his possession meant that it wasn't hard to figure out that he had ill will for all of them. 

John Curtis went out in a blaze of glory after being tracked to a farm house that he was seemingly setting up for some kind of crazy death plot. It was all tied up in a neat little bow. Curtis was blamed for four deaths that were all on Spencer's hands, and there was just one more, but it needed time to settle and worsen before he even stepped into it. 

Spencer focused on Aaron after Curtis because his lover wasn't telling him everything, and he knew it. There was something that he was holding back, and Spencer aimed to get it out of him. It wasn't just affecting Aaron and him as Jack also knew that something was wrong. 

"Aaron, we have to talk," Spencer said as he entered Aaron's apartment. It was after Jack's bedtime, and while they did not sleep in the same bed every single night, it was rare for them not to. Spencer had gone over to his apartment to set a load of clothes to wash. Spencer stopped at the sight of a bottle of bourbon on the table in front of Aaron. "Aaron?"

"I haven’t touched it." Aaron sounded shocked that Spencer was there.

"Okay?" Spencer asked. He stayed on the far side of the room as he really didn't understand what he meant, and when Spencer was unsure, he never got close. That was something that even years with his Aaron hadn't forced out of him, unknown meant that he could be hurt. The thing was that it was never an unknown situation in his world. It was always known. 

"Since that night that I found out exactly who you are and you let me..." Aaron trailed off and leaned back on the couch. He looked at Spencer. "You changed me. I don't seek the drink here at home. I never feel the want of it. Oh, I'll drink with Dave on the jet on the way home, and when I'm at a bar after a case with the team, but here I don't. Why?"

Spencer smirked as he moved over towards Aaron. He kicked his shoes off and let them rest on the mat where shoes went. When he got near touching distance, Aaron's legs fell open and Spencer slid into his lap. Aaron's hands curled on his waist, pulling him those last few inches in. 

"The alcohol used to help you process. You rarely drink enough to even become tipsy, but it let your mind wander. You would sleep just a little bit better and your brain would purge at night but now instead of that you..." Spencer slipped his hands to Aaron's shoulders and trailed down his chest, resting over Aaron's cock when he was done. "You purge in me. You work through all of your emotions in a much healthier way. You fuck my brains out, and you are better for it. I also make you talk it all out. Just like you are going to talk out exactly what is wrong with you. I know that something has been off, but I thought that first it was dealing with Strauss being thrown out, but that's not it. There is something else going on here. So what is it?"

"All of the team leads got together. Including Jack Garrett, who has been out of town for a month and a half chasing a group through India. They are really shaken with what happened with Strauss, and how she tried to basically fire you. If you can be fired for nothing, what the hell would she have done with the others? There are two names at the current that are being tossed in and Garrett's team is too rocky at the moment for him to step away and put another person in his place."

"You." Spencer had wondered if Aaron's name was going to come up in the running. If it did, Spencer would put forth Alex as a replacement, not as Unit Chief but as a regular agent. She deserved to come back into the fold now that the whole truth was out there. 

"Yes and my gut reaction is to say yes."

"Wow." Spencer was shocked. He didn’t think that Aaron would have said that. Spencer looked at him, just stared at him as he ticked through it all in his head. Before he could figure it out the whole way, Aaron started to speak.

"I don't feel that need to be out there like I have in the past. I might be able to do just as much good a little higher on the food chain. Protecting all of you, and making sure that you all have what you need. I thought that a desk job would kill me before, but now I don't know."

"You shouldn't make a rash decision."

"It's not a rash decision. I've known for weeks. That's why I stayed behind at the committee meeting. They approached me afterwards. A week and a half ago was the first time that the SACs have been able to meet. I almost said yes that day. My first thought was that I needed to talk with you, but I wanted to know my whole mind before I did. Finding out that you are not my Spencer kind of shook me down to my soul, but I have gotten over that. If I had been in this place before now, I could have stopped Strauss from trying to take Spencer's job from him as a way to hurt me. That's the entire reason. She didn't know that we were intimate, and she still knew to use you, him, to get to me."

"I think that I would have been used to get to anyone on the team. Your Spencer is the little baby of the team. The soft spot that all of you have. When he comes back, he's not going to allow that anymore. I barely tolerate it, especially some of the things that Morgan does."

"Maybe you can not hold back as much anymore. So that the change isn't so sudden." Aaron's hands worked themselves under Spencer's shirt, just touching, grounding himself. "Are you tired?"

"I'm not overly tired, but if you are we can go to bed. I'm sure that I'll fall asleep not long after you." Spencer knew that he wouldn't last long once he was cuffed in the bed with Aaron wrapped around him. He leaned down and took Aaron's mouth in a sensual kiss. 

"I feel dirty so I need to shower. I was wondering if you wanted to join me."

"Go strip and get the water started," Spencer said as he slid backwards off of Aaron's lap. He watched as Aaron moved towards the back of the apartment before he slipped out the front door. He grabbed his cell phone and made sure that the washer was done before he set the alarm and locked up. He would slip over in the morning to change for work. Once back in Aaron's apartment, he locked that door and set the alarm. He checked on Jack and found him sleeping peacefully. Spencer watched him breathe but stopped himself from going over and brushing the fringe of his hair away from his eyes. His Jack was used to it and it never woke him up, but when he did it to this Jack, it always woke the boy up. 

Aaron wasn't just standing in the bathroom, he was standing under the water, letting it rush over his head and beat on his shoulders. There was so much on his shoulders and there wasn't a lot that Spencer could do to take it all away. They weren't partners, not like he and his Aaron. He couldn't take away his work and fix it all. There was a reason that Spencer was still just his Aaron's law assistant. It wasn't because he wasn't smart enough to be a lawyer, he had his law degree, and had on occasion done small cases in family court for the firm, but he wanted to be everything that his Aaron needed, and he didn't need another lawyer. He needed Spencer exactly as he was, able to be whatever he needed him to be. 

Spencer grabbed a washrag and stripped naked. Aaron tensed when the door was opened, but he didn't do anything else. 

"Let me take care of you," Spencer whispered as he wet the rag and started to just rub it on Aaron's shoulders. The older man relaxed and just gave in to the pampering that Spencer started to give him. By the time that the entire shower ritual was done, Aaron's eyes were barely able to stay open. Spencer dried himself off before he dried off Aaron. He'd come back and finish drying his hair after he had his lover under the covers. 

Aaron's eyes were closed in sleep before his head was even fully sunk into the pillow. Spencer watched him breathe for a few minutes before he moved to finish drying off and setting the bathroom to rights. Spencer looked at himself in the mirror. He expected to see a different man standing there looking at him. But it was just his normal face. He looked no different than he had when he had come to the world nearly five months before. Surely it should have marked him in some way? 

The switch had marked Aaron, and it wasn't known whether it was a good thing or a bad, only time would tell. He was sure that the other Spencer was changed and those changes were for the best. Spencer Reid wasn't weak, no matter what world he lived in. It was time this world knew that.

* * *

Erin Strauss hadn't gone back to the house that she had been living in post divorce from her husband. Her kids had visited there, and there was evidence everywhere of them and it hurt. Spencer knew that going into it all. He had known that he would have to track her down. It wasn't hard. She had her favored store to buy alcohol from and would stick close. So, the motel that he eventually found her at that was less than half a block from her store, wasn't that much of a shock. The other thing that didn't shock him was the broken security cameras. 

Spencer watched Strauss as she stumbled back to her motel room, and didn't even latch the door as she tried to open the new bottle of vodka. Using the shadows, Spencer crept even closer, watching as she tried to pour the new alcohol into a large glass. Several ounces splashed outside of the cup before she deemed it full enough to drink. The bottle was slammed down onto the desk before she grabbed the glass and moved over to the bed. 

Inside the room Spencer slipped in, not even worrying about shutting the door all the way either. He left it closed enough to where barely any light was coming out from the crack. For five minutes Spencer stood there waiting for the woman to figure out that he was there.

"YOU!" Strauss yelled using her glass to point at him. The vodka splashed out the top and ran down her hand. She smelled like she hadn't bathed in days and Spencer figured that she hadn't. Strauss lurched to her feet and Spencer took a step back as she clawed out at him. Her hand didn't even come close to him. He kept his mouth shut as he knew that she had a neighbor on each side. "GET OUT!"

"KEEP IT DOWN!" The neighbor on the left side screamed and then beat on the wall. Strauss turned and looked at the wall for thirty seconds as if she could glare the person on the other side in submission. When she turned back, Spencer had taken a seat on the top of the small dresser, ten feet away from her. She looked confused as he wasn't where he had been when she had last looked at him. Spencer pulled his black leather gloves from his pocket and slipped them on over the top of his nitrile gloves. Strauss looked at him, her brain wasn't functioning anywhere near where it should have been. 

"Get out," Strauss said forcefully. 

Spencer picked up the picture frame that was on the desk, it was from years before when the Strauss's had been a happy family. Smiling mother and father, and three happy faces stared back at him. He took the picture frame and set it back down as Strauss lurched at him. She took two steps before Spencer shoved the frame off the dresser and it fell to the floor and broke. The glass shattered. Strauss dropped her glass of vodka and reached out to try and dig through the glass and pick up the picture. Spencer listened as the glass cut her and she hissed in pain but it didn't stop her from doing it. Strauss started to sob as she clutched picture in her bloody hands. She fell backwards to her butt and started to sob even harder. 

"Leave me to my misery," Strauss slurred as she pulled the picture away to stare at it. 

Spencer smiled at her and from his other back pocket he pulled a single serving bottle of whisky out. He cracked the lid and handed it over. She looked at it in shock, but she downed the liquid inside. He handed over the receipt as well and didn't even react when she tore it from his hands. Getting her prints all over it. He'd talked a woman off the streets to buy it and the few bottles of vodka a few days before from another store two blocks away. The woman had the same build as Strauss, and he used a car seat that he had bought from a thrift store, and then dropped at a local women's shelter afterwards. He had used the ruse that he had a baby asleep in the car, and needed to get vodka for a party that his wife was holding, and had forgot, and he really needed it. The woman had been more than happy to get it, and a small bottle of whatever whisky was close to the register so that he could calm his nerves after getting home. Spencer doubted that anyone cared where she got the vodka that was going to kill her, but just in case. 

"Why are you here? Haven't you done enough?" Strauss started to sob again and Spencer just waited. The bottle of whisky had been laced with another sleeping drug that the vodka would erase all trace of. She passed out and when she feel backwards, her head cracked off the edge of the bed frame. Blood started to seep out. Spencer rolled her head to where it was laying back and he opened her mouth. He stripped off the leather gloves. He had thought that it would take longer to get her to take the whisky but it hadn't. He probably could have left her and she would have killed herself in little time at all, but where was the fun in that? He wanted to watch her die. He wanted to see her suffering. 

Spencer grabbed the bottle of vodka, and found her stash of two more. The drug would only keep her a asleep for about ten minutes. Spencer coaxed her throat into swallowing each mouthful of liquid as he poured. He dropped the first bottle down to the floor and when he opened the second he made sure to splash it all over herself before he forced her to drink the rest. He dropped that second bottle to the floor and moved back to sit on the low dresser. 

Strauss started to wake up and her body was sluggish and slow. Spencer slipped the leather gloves back on and unwrapped the collar from around his wrist. Strauss looked around the room and groaned before she tried to sit up. She brushed at the sticky, wet blood that was slowly trickling down her face. She frowned at it as she looked at her fingers. Looking around, she grabbed another bottle of Vodka and stumbled her way to the bathroom. Spencer followed behind and when she looked at him in the mirror, her eyes widened in fear, but when she turned to look at him with her own eyes, he ducked behind the door. He watched her shake her head as she took a long drink of the vodka. When she turned back to the glass, there he was again. She sobbed.

"Why do you have to torture me?" Strauss picked up an empty bottle of what looked like rum and threw it at the mirror in front of her. It shattered and she sobbed. Spencer stepped up behind her and carefully picked up a piece of glass. It was just big enough to do what he wanted her to do.

"You know what to do, Erin. Don't you want to be with them?" Spencer whispered in her ear. "Don't you want to see their smiling faces again?"

Strauss looked at the glass in his hand and picked it up from his palm. She looked down at it and then at her wrist.

"No, you don't want to cut yourself there. Someone could save you. Come into the bedroom." Spencer laid a soft hand on her shoulder and directed her out to the bed. She sat down on the end of it and Spencer crawled in behind her. She was wearing a skirt and it would be so good. He grabbed the edge and pulled it up, revealing her underwear, he was shocked to see that she was even wearing any, much less that they were red lace. 

"How do I do this?" Strauss asked. Her voice was overly loud and Spencer was sure that at least one of the neighbors would hear her. He didn't verbally answer her. Instead, he gently cupped her hand with his and directed it down to her leg, right where her femoral artery was. With the amount of alcohol in her system, she'd never be saved. He wasn't even sure that he'd be able to save her being in the room with her. He used her hand to trace the line where she would need to cut. "There?"

Spencer leaned forward just a little more. He placed his lips right at her ear. "Yes. Right there. One good cut and you'll be with them again. You'll get to hold your babies in your arms, and kiss your husband." His other hand ghosted over over the flesh of her opposite thigh before tracking the edge of her underwear. He then cupped the mound of her sex, she moaned. "You'll feel him inside of you again. You'll find ecstasy as he loses himself in your body. As he fills your sex with his seed."

Strauss moaned and Spencer jerked his hand back just in time for her to slice her own skin open. He made his way off of the bed and stopped at the door. She was slumped back on the bed, bleeding out but her eyes were blissed out. Spencer left the door slightly ajar as he left. It was open enough that human curiosity would take over as they passed by and saw the dead body on the bed with blood over it's legs. 

Spencer walked a few blocks before he hailed a cab and made his way home. He let himself into Aaron's apartment and found the man still dead asleep in bed where he'd left him. Spencer laid down and Aaron woke up enough to wrap himself around him as Spencer hooked the cuffs around his wrists. He drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

Spencer was dressed to impress, but it wasn't to impress the team or even anyone else that they worked with. He wasn't even dressing to impress Aaron. He was dressing to impress everyone else that was going to be at the club. He'd found a perfect shop for the clothing that he was wearing. The dark purple leather pants were skin tight. Instead of wearing a harness like he normally would in his world, he was wearing a mesh shirt. A dark purple, thick collar was around his neck, Aaron had affixed it and locked it before he'd gone to start getting ready. Spencer had taken Aaron shopping for the suit weeks before, getting the cut just right. He needed him dressed to impress as well to make every other Sub in the club fantasize about him. To feel jealous that Spencer had snagged him. 

Hands settled on hips and Spencer looked up into Aaron's eyes in the mirror he was standing in front of. 

"I don't want to let you out of here. You look like sex walking. You can't go out like that."

"Don't worry. I have one more thing to add." Spencer reached over into the bag on the chair beside the mirror. He pulled out the leather jacket he had bought. He slipped it on and kept Aaron's eyes on his own as he watched the older man watch him zip it up. It covered up his collar so that no one could see it unless he wanted them to. Aaron leaned down and inhaled the smell of him. Spencer had found a soap at a local health store that had a spiciness to it that he knew would work well with the leather.

"I want to fuck you."

"After we get back from the club."

"Not there?" Aaron asked, his breath ghosting over Spencer's neck. 

"No. I'm not saying you won't have an orgasm, but you won't be inside of me when you do. I don't do sex in clubs like this." 

"So you are going to tease me?"

"No, you are going to learn."

"Learn?" Aaron asked. 

"We aren't going to a normal club, Aaron. We are going to a BDSM club. I purchased a membership to the club for myself and you." Spencer had spent a lot of time looking around. It hadn't been a shock that he had found a place that was close to Aaron and Jackson's club in Atlantic City for him to let loose in. It was a good club with above standards to protect the Subs that came into it uncollared, and with no contract with a Dom or a Switch. It would be a wonderful place for Aaron to learn his new found understanding of his dynamic, and for the other Spencer to find what he needed while Aaron learned. A place for someone to teach Aaron what he needed to learn. 

"A sex club?" 

"No. It's not a sex club. No sex happens within the club itself. There top five floors are hotel rooms and suites. They hold two separate business licenses. They can't control what the people who rent the rooms do. It's all perfectly legal, Aaron. I would never do anything that would jeopardize your career or Spencer's." Spencer turned around and kissed Aaron. The man cupped the back of his head, holding him right where he wanted him as he claimed his mouth. 

"Am I driving?"

"No. We will take a cab there and back. I have a private company set to pick us up in ten minutes and when I text them they will be at the club in under a half an hour."

"And what happens if..." Aaron closed his eyes as he bussed his lips over Spencer's forehead. 

"If what?" Spencer asked. 

"We don't exactly have a good history with clubs like that."

"No, you don't have a good history with clubs that play at what this one is. Even if you are holding my leash, if I safeword out, one of the security will rip you away from me and protect me. As soon as I walk in that door, my safeword become a hot word for them. They listen. Most of the clients there use the stop lights. If the word red is used in the club itself the guard evaluates if it was used in conversation or fear. Generally, it's screamed. I'm safer in that club than I am here in this apartment. There are panic buttons in the rooms, and speakers that turn on when a noise goes above a certain decibel. Again a decision is made to intervene or not. It's the best club for this outside of New York City in this world."

"Leash. You said leash."

"Yes, it's right here." Spencer unclipped it from his belt loop where he had hung it after putting on his pants. He held it up and handed it over to Aaron. Aaron took it from him almost by rote and held it up. He took the clip and attached it to the ring at the front. His eyes were stormy though with warring emotions.

"It's barbarous."

"No. It's protection. It's a bigger claim than my collar. No one will touch me while I wear it. I wear a collar because I like it. Yes, it's a visual representation of my Aaron's claim on me, but anyone can buy a collar. I've bought several in my time here. The leash, though, means I'm protected. No Dom will touch me." 

"He's wearing a collar right now isn't he?"

"He's been since the moment Aaron woke up. I wear mine with pride. They are never covered up, and I have so many of them. Most are purple, but I have several other colors as well. If he were to go out without it, the media would have a frenzy. It could spell both of their deaths. So yes. He is wearing one."

"Tomorrow, we are going shopping."

"I'm wearing the collars I bought. I won't wear yours, Aaron. I can't."

"Then you can help me pick one out for him."

"We can do that. Now let's go so the cab won't wait long."

Aaron nodded and finished getting ready. He was pocketing his wallet and grabbing his keys. Spencer watched him as he silently freaked out. This was outside of his comfort zone. He needed to know it though. He needed to understand what he was going to be getting back. What exactly his Spencer was going to need. Spencer just hoped that he'd have enough time.

The cab ride was silent, Spencer was tucked into Aaron's side with a smile on his face. His blood was already pumping. It wouldn't take much to get him hard. The leather pants were perfect for that. Tight enough to be a cock cage on their own. Aaron's eyes stayed ahead and Spencer hoped he didn't freak out. He needed this, he knew that. At home, he had Jack, Aaron, his classes, his work, and just everything else to focus on. Here he was adrift. He knew he had been too long without his Aaron reining him in. He needed taken down, mentally. 

"I never..." Aaron trailed off as the car stopped. Aaron got out first and held his hand out for Spencer. The guard at the door was dressed in an Armani suit. He looked at Spencer and smiled before opening the door for them. Aaron was looking the place over. He didn't speak until they were in the hallway leading back to the main part of the club. A pretty little Switch was there to take their coats. Aaron reluctantly took his suit jacket off while Spencer unzipped his leather jacket. She took them with a smile. 

"Have a fantastic night, Doctor Reid, Agent Hotchner."

"Thank you, Emilie," Spencer said to her.

"How did she know us?"

"Everyone on staff has to know all paying members by name. Our occupations were also necessary as well as method of address. If you don't want Agent Hotchner as the method, all you have to do is say so. We will be stopping by the office where you can sign the NDA for the club. I've read and signed mine, but you can read and sign yours. I called ahead for a light dinner and wine."

"This is all so much. Just give me a chance to take it all in."

"The only thing that will get you in trouble here is touching. Watch to your heart's content because that's what most of them are here for. To be on display." Spencer tucked himself into Aaron's side as they made their way up a set of stairs to the office. The Dom who greeted them at the door had a smile on his face.

"Doctor Reid, happy to see you back already. This is your Agent Hotchner?" Spencer shivered at the Welsh accent the man had. 

"This is. Aaron, this is Broderick. He and his wife Carlie own the Club along with their third."

"Yes. We are happy to have you here, Hotch," a female voice called out. Spencer smiled at Carlie's voice before stepping into the office. Aaron though was stationary. Spencer looked back at him. There was shock all over his face.

"Carlie Rees," Aaron said as he found his voice and started into the room. 

"You should have seen the shock on my face when I got Doctor Reid's application. I never took you for this lifestyle." Carlie was sitting on the desk and in the chair behind was another male. Spencer took him for a Switch right away. He was comfortable in the office, so it had to be the third in the relationship. The door behind them shut and Broderick moved around to stand behind the chair. 

"I assume that this is your third?" Spencer asked. 

"Trevor Duncan." The man didn't offer his hand. "Car told me that we were going to have a newbie come in. She also told me that I was going to be helping." Trevor looked Spencer up and down and then looked at Aaron. "I can see why you wanted a Switch."

"Yes, well Aaron is new to all this, but I'm well versed. I don't do public exhibitions. I want him to see me though."

"How long have you been together?" Trevor asked. 

Spencer didn't answer, he just stared at the man. Trevor smiled a wolfish grin before he stood up. He kissed Broderick's cheek and Carlie's mouth as he passed them both.

"I'll be dancing so come and find me when you are ready. I look forward to making you scream."

"Spencer?" Aaron asked. 

"Later he's going to take a flogger to me, while you watch. I trust him as he has a lot to lose if he messes up, and I've seen him with Carlie."

Aaron said nothing but Spencer didn't need him to. His eyes, lust blown with only the thought of what was to come was all he needed.

"Hotch, come and we shall go over all the paperwork."

Spencer moved to a loveseat on the edge of the room and tuned out the legal speak of Carlie and Aaron. He looked through emails on his phone and read a few articles that had been published online. He felt Broderick's eyes on him after a while and looked up. 

"Where is your Dom?"

"I knew that neither of you were idiots. He's gone from my grasp. I love Aaron, and I didn't force him into this. I kept my dynamic hidden and it was an accident. He's eager, but scared of himself. I want him to see what I get from another who isn't afraid of giving me what I want. What I need. Only then will he stop being afraid of himself."

"You certainly dressed him to impress. And you are a wet dream for every single Dom and Switch in this place. Your Dom was damned good at one thing. It's very evident in every single line of your body that you only submit to one person, and that's who you are with. I probably couldn't even get you to duck your eyes away from me could I?"

"No. My Dom was of the mind that my submission was his and his alone. He would egg me into taking the heads off of people who thought that because they were higher than me that they could force me to do what they wanted. I have verbally castrated many men, and women who thought they could force my submission."

"Your former Dom had to have been a strong man."

"None stronger." Spencer looked at Aaron who was handing the packet back to Carlie. "Ready, Aaron?"

"Yes."

Spencer stood up and met with him right at the door. He heard Broderick talking to Carlie.

"Make sure that Jimmy is on the floor tonight. He'll love breaking up the fight I know is coming when someone tries to get him to do anything."

"Yes. Hotch found himself a wildcat and he's so in love he doesn't realize what he's going to have to do to keep others off of him."

"Hotch will surprise you."

Spencer escorted Aaron out into the main area of the club and watched as the man took it all in. Spencer loved the club. It was understated and elegant with the decor that showed what it really was that was woven into the theme of it all. He found the table with their name, and pushed Aaron into sitting down before he sat in his lap. Spencer sat with his back to the wall, and his face out into the whole of the area. 

Aaron took it all in with his profiler eyes and brain. While he did, one of his hands wrapped around Spencer's outside hip while the other came to rest on his thigh. The singer for the night was about to take the stage. Spencer hadn't even paid attention to the name of the woman or the band she was normally a part of. As she started to sing, Spencer closed his eyes. She had a good voice.

"Do you like this band that she is a part of?" Aaron asked, his voice a whisper in Spencer's ear.

"Delta Rae I don't think exists in my world. But this Elizabeth does have a very nice voice. So you said that you and the Director were going to talk today. We were busy with Jack I forgot to ask."

"We had a lovely chat about a lot of things. Many I don't want to bring up here, but the main thing was that I may have used me accepting the position of Section Chief as a bribe."

"What?" Spencer turned in Aaron's lap and looked at him. 

"You've taught me that to get what I want I have to actually do something about it. I went into that office with two options, retirement or Section Chief."

"And are you jobless?"

"No. Starting in two weeks, I'm Section Chief. The announcement is going to happen the day I take over. In that time I'm going to work on finding a replacement for me."

"Alex Blake," Spencer offered before Aaron had even stopped talking. 

"She's at the top of my list. There is one other thing though. The only requirement that I had was the stipulation that would have had me retire."

"Yes."

"Before I even opened my mouth, Morgan was listed as my replacement. We all know that Dave doesn't want it. And you were named as Lead profiler. Dave is going to stay as ASAC. I had nothing to do with any of that."

"Quit beating around the bush."

"Our relationship is on file. Dave is going to continue to do your evaluations as the Director is a little afraid of how Morgan is going to take it all. We don't have to reveal ourselves to the team but I want to, when I get my Spencer back." 

"You went in and told him that you'd only take the job if you were allowed to continue fucking me?"

"I didn't use those terms, but yes." Aaron smiled as he nuzzled at Spencer's neck for a moment. "It took hours. He went over every single case for three years and found no instance where I put the job on the line for you or him. He did say that he had noticed that you had grown a lot more confident and a better profiler. He made the comment that he was shocked that something like this hadn't happened before. With the divorce and separation rate as high as it is for the BAU. Jack Garrett is the aberration in it all. There are protocols in place." Aaron's eyes swept away from Spencer and he looked around. The club was filling up now that it was getting later. Many of the newer arrivals were very evident in their dynamic. Aaron though screamed Dom, there were as many eyes on him as there were on Spencer, from all dynamics.

"Are you thirsty?" Spencer asked as he ducked his head down for a kiss. Aaron's hand tightened on his thigh and he followed the pull of it, pressing closer.

"What do you recommend?" 

"The selection of virgin drinks here is second to none. So why don't I surprise you?" Spencer leaned in a little farther, nosing the side of Aaron's neck. Aaron grabbed the ring where the leash clipped and held him there. 

"If I don't like it, I'm going to be very put out."

"I'm never wrong, Sir." Spencer slid off of Aaron's lap and walked right towards the bar. The room was massive with the wall on one side made up of tables like he and Aaron were at while the other was all dance floor. There were high top tables with stools closer to the dance floor and lower tables farther away for the ones that wanted to watch and not dance. At the moment, there were a few couples on the dance floor with other singles. The singer was doing a slow paced number but it didn't stop some of the people from basically having sex on the floor. More and more people were coming in as it was getting closer to the hour of dancing.

While the club was a place for couples to be what they were there was also the thriving business of being a safe place for Subs to pick up a Dom. After the singer was done it would be closer to an actual dance club with louder music and writhing bodies. That was what Spencer was waiting on. 

By the time that Spencer made it back to the table, the waiter was dropping off dinner. Aaron hadn't yet even attempted to feed him, and Spencer wasn't going to start that yet. Maybe another time when they just wanted something to nibble on, a fruit and cheese plate or something like it. Spencer took the second seat at the table and answered questions as they ate. 

Aaron understood the basics, he had to because many UnSubs played at the life. There were a lot of bodies in the club when Spencer went back up for their second round of drinks. Those ones had alcohol as they had food in their bellies. When he got back to the table with his glass of wine and Aaron's bourbon, there was a Sub talking to him. Aaron was being polite, and not realizing exactly what her game was. He recognised her from the dance floor.

"He's not going to give you what you want," Spencer said as he stepped up behind her. She turned around like she'd been stung. Spencer slipped in between her and Aaron, setting down their drinks before sitting in Aaron's lap. Instead of sitting like he had been, Spencer straddled his lap and leaned back against his chest. Aaron's hands went right for his hips. "He's not going to be your daddy. He's not going to fuck you and call you a slut or a whore. He's not going to fill that void that you have that aches to be degraded and humiliated. He's mine, and no little thing like you would be anywhere near enough for him. Now, go away and don't come sniffing around like a bitch in heat again." 

The woman looked to be on the edge of tears as she fled. Spencer didn't care. He felt Aaron's erection pressed against him. That was surprising. One of Aaron's hands moved up under his shirt and went right for his nipples. He had started to wear rings in them as Aaron couldn't leave them alone. 

"Fuck, I never thought that taking someone down like that would be hot. Is that what he's taught you to do?"

"Not so much taught as never let me be anything else. He never let anyone degrade me. Even his partners at the firm." Spencer watched the curtains open and there on the stage was a young woman strapped to a table that was slanted. Her arms were outstretched and bound. Her fingers were held totally immobile. 

"She's..." Aaron swallowed hard enough that Spencer felt and heard it.

"Shh. Just watch, Aaron." 

The woman was totally naked. She didn't have any piercings, toys, nothing on her. Beside her was a table with toys. Behind her came a man dressed only in a pair of skin tight jeans. Spencer knew that an elevator was at the back of the stage that went to a suite of rooms for those that exhibited to get to aloneness even quicker. 

The man picked up a knotted cat o' nine tails. Spencer counted each strike just under his breath. Aaron's hand on his hip squeezed with each strike as well. The woman was silent throughout all twenty strikes. The man was perfect, and Spencer was aroused just from watching. The implement was set down and the man grabbed a few things from the table. He crouched at groin level and parted the lips of her sex. Even from a distance it was evident how aroused she was.

"I bet she's dripping right now, being on display. She lives for it. Her mind is primed before that curtain ever opens."

"What is that?" Aaron asked as the man attached something to her clit. As the man pulled his hand away, a chain fell down with a metal weight attached. The woman's body jerked as it swung back and forth.

"A clamp with a weight. I bet next are ones for her nipples. The pull of them is delicious, but I would rather be dangling from a chain or on a cross when I have them attached. Then as I move into each strike they sway and add even more to it all. Every movement is sweet pain."

Aaron's cock twitched at his back. Spencer was going to stay through it all. He wanted Aaron to witness every single second. This was as much a part of the life as anything else.

"Do you like to be immobile like that?"

"That totally, no. Aaron never stops my fingers from moving."

"Why is she silent? You weren't when I used the belt on you."

"Because my Aaron wants to hear me. He tests my submission in other ways. This Dom wants to see how far he can push her. He wants her silence to show the depth of her submission to him. You and my Aaron are alike in that you want my voice, whether I am taking down someone who deserves it, or I am begging for your cock." 

The man finished with adding the clamps to the woman's nipples. He unhooked her right leg and slid it up until her foot was pressed against the table. He strapped it in there then moved to the left, doing the same. The table was tilted back a little bit and she was fully on display to them. Aaron gasped and pulled Spencer down into him. Peaking out was a black anal plug. As soon as the table fully stopped, the woman spread her legs as much as she could. A silicone flogger was in the man's hand and he lashed it over her inner legs, never getting close enough to touch her pussy. Every few strikes he landed a blow on her stomach or even up across her breasts. 

One hard blow across her left thigh and the man tossed the flogger down onto the table. He moved around to the back and pulled on the chains on her nipples. 

"Come."

Silence as her whole body shuddered and she came. The curtains fell and Spencer waited to spot Trevor. The man was over by the main levator heading up. Spencer nodded at him and the Switch moved to the stairs. 

"Let's head up, Aaron."

"Yes." Aaron was breathless. 

Spencer stood and allowed Aaron to wrap a arm around his shoulder, tucking him under his arm. The elevator was empty so once Spencer had punched the number to the suite that he'd booked for the first part of the night, Spencer sat on the waist high bench along the back of the elevator. Aaron moved right in between his spread legs, pulling him closer by his thighs. 

"What's going to happen upstairs?"

"Trevor is going to give me pain. I don't know what instruments he's going to use. We will discuss that before hand. You are going to watch. You are going to watch me as I writhe in pleasure. But you are also going to pay attention. If you think you can take learning from him, he'll teach you."

"Who did your Aaron learn from?" 

"A collection of Doms that his...father figure found for him to learn from."

"You don't want to tell me who."

"No. You don't need to know. We won't be using my safeword with you tonight. Instead it's going to be caesum, Trevor will honor it."

"You said I could fuck you."

"At home."

"Not here?" 

"No. You'll come here but I will not."

"Why?"

"Personal preference. I am not wearing underwear, but I will leave it up to you whether I strip naked or not." 

"Naked."

"Okay."

The elevator opened and Spencer let Aaron pull him out. The lighting in the hallway was lit from above, casting shadows at carpet height. Trevor opened the door to the room as they approached. He was shirtless and already hard from the show in the club. There was a chair set up in front of the St. Andrew's Cross in the middle of the room.

"Safeword?" Trevor asked as he shut the door.

"Caesum." 

"Carlie said that you would have rules, Doctor Reid."

"Yes. You are not to touch me. You can walk Aaron through checks and strapping me in."

Trevor stared at him, his eyes searching Spencer's. He was trying to find out if Spencer was totally serious. 

"You need this don't you?" Trevor asked. 

"Yes."

"How long his it been since you've properly been in subspace?"

"Fully? Five months."

"And how often before that did you enter it?"

"Sometimes twice a week."

"You should have come here before now." Trevor looked upset.

"My circumstances are my own and you are not my Dom. You have no right to say a damned thing. I found other ways of satisfying it."

Trevor looked at him like he didn't believe him, but he nodded his head that he would keep his mouth shut. The man's eyes slipped to Aaron, waiting. He was wanting Aaron to tell him what to do. 

"Aaron, are you ready?" Spencer asked, turning all the way away from Trevor and looking at Aaron. Aaron nodded but smirked when Spencer raised an eyebrow.

"Strip." Aaron's voice was clear, even though his whole body was radiating uneasiness. That would go away. With time and understanding. Spencer stepped up to Aaron as he lifted the mesh shirt over his head. He folded it and laid it on a stand at the side of the room. He made sure that Aaron was watching as he unzipped the leather pants. 

"If this gets too much, Aaron. You just leave," Spencer said, his voice barely above a whisper. Aaron looked up into his face, stunned. "I want you to see this, but I don't want to damage you. Don't make yourself stay for me. I can get to subspace without an orgasm. You don't have to stay."

"What if I wanted you to come?"

"Do you? Do you want to see me come from that man striking me?" 

Aaron swallowed and looked at Trevor, then back at Spencer before he looked down at the floor for a few seconds. When he looked back up, there was a spark in his eye that Spencer knew well. 

"Yes."

"Then I will. How do you want to me to do it? Come when I want or when you tell me to?" 

"I'll tell you when."

"I'll be so good for you, Aaron." Spencer leaned in and kissed him as he worked his pants down as far as he could without bending down. "I'll be perfect, Sire."

Aaron grabbed his face and kissed him hard. There was no escape from the kiss. Spencer gave into it, gave into him with no reservations. Aaron's hands ghosted down his neck, his chest, before one cupped his cock. Spencer thrust into that hand and was rewarded with a hand wrapping around it. 

"Strip," Aaron said when he let go of Spencer and stepped away. Bending to remove his boots and socks, Spencer made sure to make a show of it. He heard twin groans from the two men in the room with him. Spencer swept the pants down his legs and folded them up and set them on top of his shirt. He didn't even wait for Aaron to tell him what to do, he went right for the cross and waited. Trevor's calm voice washed over him as he walked Aaron through first cuffing him and then attaching those to the cross. 

Aaron pressed into him from behind. "Talk to me, Spencer. Tell me what you feel."

"Safe." Spencer let his head fall back onto Aaron's shoulder. Aaron's hand reached up and held it there. "I feel safe. Whole. I don't ache anymore."

"Good. I'm going to go sit in front of you." Aaron pulled away, but he gently tilted Spencer's head back up. Spencer listened to him move around until he came into eyesight. Aaron didn't sit right away though. Instead he pulled the chair closer. He wasn't in danger of getting hit, but he'd be able to see everything. 

"I have a flogger, a paddle, a whip, and a cane out," Trevor said. "Any of those you don't want?"

"Whip. The rest at your discretion."

"Count for me." Trevor didn't even give him time to answer. The first crack of the paddle landed square on his right cheek. 

"One." Spencer locked his eyes with Aaron, soon he'd give in. Soon he'd stop fighting. Smack after smack landed and Spencer counted each one. "Twenty."

"Aaron. Check his eyes, his pulse, and give him a drink of water. Don't let him have too much." 

Spencer felt the fingers ghost on his neck. He opened his eyes, looking at Aaron. 

"Kiss, please, Sire."

Aaron looked behind Spencer for a second and whatever Trevor did had to have been affirmative. Aaron leaned down and kissed him.

"Even when your body is still, your cock jumps with every single hit. You anticipate every hit and when it takes longer than you think it should, you get this delicious little pout on your lips." Aaron's thumb drew down on Spencer's bottom lip. Aaron leaned in close. "I could get addicted to this."

"Please."

"Please what?" Aaron asked louder. 

"Give me more." 

"Cane?" Aaron asked and when Spencer looked up, Aaron wasn't looking at him. "Fifteen or is that too many?"

"No. Given the whip marks on him, I'd say that he could take it and more. But let's start there. Sit down again."

Spencer watched Aaron moved away. Just as the man sat down the first strike landed on his lower thighs. Spencer hissed in pleasure before he uttered. "One." He settled in on his feet again and was utterly relaxed for the second. Each one that came after sent Spencer closer and closer to what he wanted, what he needed. 

"Five more, Aaron? You tell me."

Aaron tilted Spencer's face up to his own. He held it there and Spencer watched him nod. He hadn't heard the man get up at all. Aaron held his eyes as the last five cane strikes landed. Spencer was totally in subspace. He felt Aaron doing the check and he answered. 

"Do you want to come?" Aaron asked.

"No, Sire. I want the flogger. Hard. I want him to keep going until you want me to come." 

"Stay right there Aaron. Watch his face, even when he goes slack. Hold it up and watch. He can easily go too far into Subspace."

"How will I know?"

"Have you ever seen him high or drunk?"

"Yes."

"Look for that. Right now he's at a good spot. When it makes you uncomfortable, tell him to come."

Spencer filed away that Aaron had seen his Spencer high. If it had been anyone else, Spencer would have thought it was the drunk. But the tone of Aaron's voice, the way he went stiff told him that it was when Spencer had been addicted. 

"Don't worry about counting, Little One. Just worry about pleasing your Sire with your submission." Trevor's first strike with the flogger was hard. Spencer didn't even try and hold in the moan that bubbled from his lips. His entire body went lax and the only thing holding him up was the cuffs. Aaron allowed it for several swipes with the flogger before he tilted Spencer's head up. 

"Are you hard, Sire?" Spencer asked after several more strikes. 

"Yes," Aaron whispered. 

"Do you think you could come from just watching?" 

"Yes." Aaron tilted Spencer's head up a little farther as a hard crack placed on his back. Spencer could feel himself leaking. The thin trail of fluid as it slipped down his cock. He was close to begging. So close but he wasn't going to. "Do you want to come, love?"

"Yes."

Aaron tightened the grip on his hair and Spencer felt the pain of it blend with the sharp crack of the flogger on his back. It was the hardest strike yet.

"Come."

Spencer's entire body stiffened with his release. He screamed his completion and slumped down. Aaron released his hair. He was floating. He had missed this. He listened as Trevor talked Aaron through things as Aaron used a wet cloth to wipe the sweat from his body. The cloth was soft but still as it passed over slightly raised welt, Spencer felt himself slipping just slightly deeper. 

"Can I..." Aaron trailed off. 

"I see you staring at his mouth. If you do that, you have to make sure to take extra care. He's not going to be able to tell how cut off his oxygen is. Do you want me to stay?"

"Yes." 

Spencer was carefully lowered to his knees and he heard the clink-clink of the teeth on a zipper as it lowered. He turned his head from where it was laying on Aaron's thigh and saw his hard cock, right there. He knew what he wanted. Spencer opened his mouth as soon as fingers tangled in his hair. 

Aaron's cock tasted of the salt of sweat and his own release. He'd been leaking a great deal. It didn't take long at all for Aaron to come in his mouth. 

"He's perfect. Responsive, and I can tell his Dom before was demanding. I'm shocked that he survived the loss of him," Trevor said as Aaron was helping to dress Spencer again. Aaron didn't offer explanations, and Spencer heard Aaron texting on his phone, for the cab he hoped. Spencer hadn't expected to get that far into Subspace. The click of the door told him that Trevor had left and he was bundled into Aaron's arms on the couch while they waited. Spencer let himself drowse as he did. He wanted fucked, and when they got home, he'd make sure it happened.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

“Come on kid, you’re slow today. Keep those arms up, that’s it,” Morgan prompted as Spencer sparred with him. It was just the two of them that day, but he was having trouble concentrating. It had been almost ten days since his compromise with Aaron and it was nearing the time he would have to try again. His mind wasn’t on what he was doing when he ended up flat on his back and looking up at Derek.

“Alright, what’s goin’ on with you? And with the Professor? He’s been upset and won’t talk to me.” Morgan held out his hand for Spencer, which he took and let himself be lifted off the floor. He didn’t answer right away, he walked over and grabbed his water and workout towel. He wiped his face, then took a long drink of the water before turning around and sliding down the wall and pulling his legs close to him.

“I’m torn Morgan. I made a deal with Aaron, but I’m just tired.”

He looked up and watched as Derek moved to sit next to him. The friendship that had grown between them after he and Charlie came clean about everything to Derek was almost like his own Morgan. The big difference, this Morgan was calmer, and though he certainly had his bad temper, he was more understanding. He never pushed at him like his own Morgan often had wont to do. 

“Charlie’s been locked in that office of yours, claiming he’s not comin’ out till he figures out what is going wrong. I can’t tell you what to do here, Reid. All I can say is, maybe keep going for a little longer. I know it can’t be easy, and I know Hotch can be uncompromising, and unbending when it comes to whichever you it is. But, maybe let Charlie do his thing, then try just a little longer.”

Spencer wiped his face again and took another long pull on his water to give himself some time to think.

“I know you’re right Morgan, but it’s just so hard. I’ll keep to my promise, and I’ll try to talk to Charlie, but knowing him, he’s going to be obsessed with finding the answer.” Spencer chuckled to himself and thought of the blackboards in his Charlie’s house that he had carefully shipped from Los Angeles with the old P vs Np problem still on it. His obsession over the problem had never gone away. This Charlie was similar, when he had a puzzle in front of him, he needed to solve it, or it would drive himself and Derek crazy. 

“Look, I’m here if you need to talk.”

“Thanks Derek.” A part of Spencer would miss this version of Morgan. He hated to admit to himself at how he had been treated over the years. His expression hardened and thought over all the times Morgan picked at him, pushing at his boundaries. He knew when he got back...Spencer stopped and realized where his thoughts went. He was not using if, anymore, he was using when. Something had changed in him in that moment. He had a sudden urge of confidence that he was going to get home. He didn’t know how he knew, but he felt it deep inside, but he had felt it before, so he decided to bury that feeling as he went to take a shower. He thoroughly cleaned himself, after his shower, he wanted Aaron, desperately.

After leaving the gym he went in search of his lover, who he found in the indoor gun range. He could often be found there when upset, or contemplating someone’s demise. He hoped it would be the former, because he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to deal with the latter. Spencer stood back and watched. His thoughts went back to the days when Aaron had tried to teach him to shoot right before the case with Dowd. He put Dowd out of his mind, but thought back to the gun range. He had already had a crush on Aaron, it had been difficult to keep it to himself when Aaron was standing so close behind him, his nerves took over and he shot worse than he ever had previously. 

The succession of gunfire had him coming out of the memory. He couldn’t help his arousal as he watched Aaron for a few minutes, cycling through several types of handguns. A shiver ran through him when he picked-up the revolver. He knew then that Aaron knew he was there. 

“Come here.” Aaron didn’t even look his way as he commanded Spencer. Swallowing he walked over and stood near Aaron, waiting for him. “Get under the snug and take me out.” 

Spencer’s eyes widened and his heart raced, this had been a fantasy of his for a very long-time. He scrambled under and unzipped Aaron’s trousers, and noticed he was not wearing anything underneath. It had Spencer moaning in the back of his throat. Closing his eyes, he took Aaron’s half-hard cock in his mouth, and wrapped his hands around his thighs so he had some sort of purchase.

Aaron faltered for just a moment as Spencer wrapped his lips around him and he felt the muscles in his lover’s throat contract around his cock. He grabbed the hair on the back of Spencer’s head and fisted tightly pushing Spencer farther onto his cock. Closing his eyes a moment he let himself get lost in the sensations tingling up his spine and down around his thighs and groin. The pleasure of that mouth on him was one of his favorite things. Taking a few deep breaths, he let go of Spencer’s hair and picked the gun back up once more. He widened his stance just a bit which caused him to thrust slightly and his cock swelling even more.

“Fuck, your mouth, Kitten,” He groaned as he felt Spencer lick a stripe up his cock before taking the whole thing in his mouth once again.

“You have three clips to make me cum.” Aaron changed out the target, set the revolver aside and loaded the Glock 17 and aimed. He almost faltered when he felt the head of his cock slip down Spencer’s throat, but he got control of his breathing and aimed. Steady and calm he fired off the first clip, then fell slightly forward on the stall shelf, he gripped the lip hard as Spencer kept working his cock, bringing him closer to release. Swallowing hard he stood up and loaded in a fresh clip after changing targets. His hands shook slightly as Spencer added a deep hum, and started to pull at his balls.

“Fuck,” Aaron got his breathing and heart-rate under control once more, but almost faltered on his first few shots. Closing his eyes he let his head fall back on his shoulders as he felt closer and closer to his release. When he opened his eyes he stared straight at the target and emptied his clip, then grabbed Spencer’s hair once more. He held his sub right there, then fucked in and out of Spencer’s mouth coming just a moment later. He pulled Spencer off his rapidly softening cock then stepped back to let him out of the small space. As soon as the other man was standing, Aaron crowded him, kissing him hard as he pushed his tongue inside to chase the taste of himself in Spencer’s mouth. His hands pushed down Spencer’s sweat pants then he grabbed his cock.

“Beautiful,” Aaron whispered against his lover’s lips as he began to jack him off using the pre-come that had already leaked out. Spencer was moaning as he braced himself against Aaron.

“Come,” Aaron growled in his ear and Spencer’s body responded to the command as he came in Aaron’s hand. If Aaron didn’t have an arm wrapped around his waist holding him up, he knew he would have slumped to his knees. 

“Go clean up, I’ll meet you upstairs.” Aaron bussed a kiss on his forehead before letting him go. Sighing, he reached for the hand wipes he kept at the stall and cleaned his hands up before cleaning his gun and putting it away in the storage area. He started to leave the basement, but turned toward the cells. He stepped through the locked door and went to stand in front of Gideon’s cell. He had not been down here to see him since the day he locked him in. He stared at the man, his heart pounding and he felt...something, but he couldn’t put a name to it.

He reached over and typed in the code and stood there in the open door, head slightly cocked as he swallowed. Aaron frowned, not even sure what it was he was doing here. He stepped in and moved to sit in the chair that was usually occupied by Dave. 

“Aaron?” Gideon’s voice was rough as he turned to look at him.

Aaron looked at him, really looked, for the first time in a long time.

“You’re right, you know.”

“Right? About what?” Aaron almost laughed at the glare Jason was giving him. He leaned towards the bed and sighed.

“I know you hate me and I know you know I enjoy every second you are locked in here, suffering.” Aaron curled his lip in a mock smile and felt satisfaction at the fear he saw in Jason’s eyes. “You were right about me. I know what I am, Jason. When you and Dave took me in, you knew it was too late for me, but you didn’t even try.”

Jason closed his eyes then opened them back up.

“I did Aaron, I tried, but you were fifteen and already manipulating others in your class. I know you would have killed your father in cold blood, but losing Sean pushed you over that edge. I was first after the cops showed up, and I saw that look in your eyes. I saw it, Aaron. You enjoyed killing him, and not just because he hurt you.” 

Aaron set his jaw as he glared, still trying to understand the emotions that were raging inside him and what brought him into Gideon’s cell after all this time. 

“Yes, I did. And you had me all pegged, I was fifteen Jason. I…” Aaron looked away a moment as he sat back in the chair. “I still needed you.” 

Jason lifted a brow as he watched Aaron. They were silent for a long time till Jason finally spoke.

“I couldn’t help you Aaron. I wanted to. I did, but Dave thought you needed to stay with us, and, you know what I wanted.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes and set his mouth in a grim line.

“Yes, I do. You wanted to lock me up, you wanted me in an institution.” 

“No, I wanted you to get help.”

“I hated you. I’ve only truly hated three people in my life. You, Haley, and George Foyet. Would it shock you to know that it wasn’t by my hand that your precious protege is dead?” Aaron leaned close and whispered in his ear, “Spencer killed him. Shot him, in the head. And he has absolutely no remorse for it.” 

Jason closed his eyes and shook his head.

“You’ve twisted that young man. Why? Why couldn’t you just leave him alone?”

“He’s Spencer. Doesn’t matter that he’s different, he’s Spencer.”

Jason looked confused as he watched Aaron.

“You actually love him, don’t you?”

“You doubt that I ever did?”

“Psychopaths don’t love.”

“Ah, but that isn’t quite true is it? I loved Sean. I would have died protecting him, but I didn’t did I? I didn’t protect him. Not till it was too late. I love Jack, you can’t even know, Jason. He would have been your Grandson, like he and Dave are. In fact, Dave took him out tonight, just them. But, not you, you left us. You left Dave and I because you couldn’t deal with it.” Aaron shoved out of the chair and paced. “You couldn’t love me. I look at Jack and there isn’t _anything_ I wouldn’t do for him. Nothing I wouldn’t do to protect him. 

“And Spencer, he’s mine in every way. I know it’s possessive and he knows if he ever left me, I’d go after him and kill him. But, he won’t, because his love is even worse. We know what we are Jason and that’s where you made your mistakes. You tried to handle me, and manipulate him, you should have known me much better than that.”

“If you hate me why are you here? Why all this?”

Aaron stopped pacing and leaned on the bed taking deep shallow breaths.

“I made a deal with the other world’s Spencer. He wanted to stop the experiments. I...I lost my temper and I hurt him. We compromised. He gets two weeks reprieve, but has to try again.” Aaron scrubbed his face as he paced. He felt Jason watching him, he wasn’t even sure why he was here, nothing changed. Jason would still endure his punishment, but...but something brought him here, something he was afraid to put a name to.

“You’re afraid.” Aaron stopped and whipped his head around to look at Jason.

“What makes you say that?”

“Because nothing else would bring you here. You are afraid. I’ve only seen you afraid once, when I left. Tell me Aaron, what made you afraid then and what is making you afraid now?”

“I needed you dammit.” Aaron’s anger made him lash out at Jason once more. “Dave may have been the father I wanted, but you, fuck you, you were the father I _needed. You saw me Jason. You saw me like _my_ Spencer sees me. That’s what drew me to him. In that office, in that moment that I saw Spencer he knew who and what I was. Dave wanted me to be different, but you _saw me__ and you left me.” Aaron was breathing harshly as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared. “And that makes me angry. I never got over that Jason. You threw me away, you threw Dave away when we needed you most and I was afraid. I was slipping into that darkness I know is in me. The darkness I give in to more and more. I know what I am Jason. I’m a killer and a Psychopath.

“Yes, I’m afraid. I could lose them both, and Spencer is one of the only things keeping me from giving in completely. Everything I am, everything I do it’s because of him.”

Jason shook his head and watched Aaron still.

“You’re right. I did see you and I left you and Dave. You both deserved more. I could not stand by and watch Dave try to treat you like a normal son. It doesn’t mean I didn’t love you Aaron. I tried, god knows I tried, but I couldn’t be part of that. I made mistakes and you paid for them. As for Spencer, you need to trust. You need to believe that somehow, this other Spencer will find the way and if he does, you need to let him go.”

Aaron glared at Jason. This wasn’t how he wanted all this to go, but it was all things he had wanted to say years before. He wasn’t really sure if he felt any better, but he knew Jason was right. He was holding on too tight, pushing Spencer too hard, and it was just hurting all of them. He turned on his heels, not even saying goodbye and left. He went upstairs to find Spencer, he needed him now more than ever.

* * *

The next morning Spencer was curled up in the library with tea and several books at his side. His back and legs still bore the marks from the whip Aaron used on him the night before. Every time he moved he hissed, but it was a good kind of feeling. He wasn’t sure when he began to relish how his body felt the next day, but he did. It was going to be hard to lose this when he finally found the solution.

He was lost in the book he was currently reading when the library doors burst open and Charlie came running in.

“I think I’ve got it!” He said practically vibrating with excitement.

“What?” Spencer looked up trying not to feel anything. He didn’t want to get excited only to be let down.

“I think I’ve found out why it hasn’t been working. I was going through a-a-all of the information you gave me from the initial experiment, then going back through every single one we’ve done since the Collider was built. I know where we are off Spencer. I just...I know this will work.” The smile on Charlie’s face did nothing for him. 

“That’s, that’s good.” Spencer put his book aside and went to Charlie, “Show me.” He asked. They went to their shared office and Charlie broke it down in a step by step comparison. When they went through all of the steps and all of the numbers, Spencer saw it too, where they had gone wrong. 

Sitting down in one of the chairs he tried to process all of the information before him. Charlie was right, or at least it looked like Charlie was right, he felt his friend waiting in anticipation for his answer.

“You’re right. It’s all here. It’s all down to the timing of the particles being introduced. Do...you’re sure it’ll work?”

“I’m not 100 percent sure, no scientist ever really is, but Spencer I’m at least 98.9 percent sure this is the solution and it will work.”

Spencer stood and paced around the room. Did he really want to go through with this? What if something else went wrong? What if he ended up in another reality and not his own? What if...what if...what if… these questions were spinning wildly in his mind. It was only when Charlie stopped him mid-stride and held him in place.

“I know what you are thinking, but I believe the Collider is calibrated only to your world and this one. I know you are thinking of all the risks and possibilities, but don’t you owe yourself one last try?”

Spencer closed his eyes and and nodded. Charlie was right, one more time, it’s what he promised Aaron anyway.

“Yes, alright. But, let’s wait for tomorrow night.”

“That’s fine. It’ll give me time to recalibrate and double check all of the equipment.”

Spencer tried to smile as he left the library and went in search of Aaron. He found him in his office working on some files. He stood in the doorway and waited till Aaron looked up at him.

“Kitten?”

“Charlie believes he knows whats wrong. He’s going in tonight to re-calibrate the equipment. He found the anomaly between what I gave him of the original experiment, and what we’ve been doing.”

Aaron stood and walked over to Spencer, emotions warring deep inside him.

“He’s confident, Aaron. Thinks he knows what was wrong. We’re going to try it tomorrow.”

Aaron cupped his cheek and pulled him in close to kiss him. It didn’t take much and Spencer was already getting hard. Aaron wanted something different, something only Spencer could give him.

“I want you to fuck me Spencer,” Aaron growled as he kissed Spencer hard and possessive. 

“Y-y-you want me to be inside you?” Spencer felt his cheeks get hot, he thought he was over all the blushing.

“Yes Spencer. Will you do that for me? I want to feel you, I want to feel what it’s like to have your cock inside me. I want to know what the piercing feels like as you pound into me, I want you to fuck me and not hold back.” Aaron’s kiss turned passionate as he held Spencer up.

“Yes, god yes Aaron, I will do that for you.” Spencer couldn’t deny that he wanted it too. 

“Then go take a shower and I’ll be right up.” Aaron let him go and Spencer practically ran to their bedroom to go take his shower. Leaving his office he went in search of Charlie. He found the man in his and Spencer’s shared office.

“Did you really figure it out?” Aaron asked as he stepped in unceremoniously

Charlie looked up and straightened up.

“Yes. I figured out where we were going wrong and once I saw the flaw, it should have worked months ago. I’m not going to apologize, I wasn’t at my best when you found me and I know if I had been, I would have figured this out.”

“I’m not asking for an apology. But you better not be promising me something you can’t deliver on. I won’t care that you’re Derek’s lover.” The hard set to his eyes and mouth told Charlie not to argue.

Aaron nodded then spun on his heels and strode through the mansion on his way to his bedroom. He had this night planned out and he was going to make the most of it. He entered the room and undressed quickly, he heard Spencer still in the shower and went to join him.

Spencer had his face under the water, and startled slightly as arms wrapped around him and pulled him close. He felt the scraping of teeth over his neck, as one hand moved and settled over his heart and the other moved to stroke his cock. 

“I can’t wait to feel you inside me,” Aaron whispered across the skin on his neck. A finger played with the piercing which made Spencer shudder in Aaron’s arms. He turned Spencer around then slipped to his knees where he took Spencer in his mouth and tongued at the half-hard cock. He wanted to play with Spencer for a bit first. 

“Sir,” Spencer slapped the sides of the shower as he shook a little at what Aaron was doing to him. Aaron pulled off then stood and kissed Spencer, hard. Aaron reached behind Spencer and turned off the shower, then helped him out and dried him off before drying himself. He ushered Spencer out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where he already had supplies laid out on the nightstand.

Spencer ran his hands over Aaron’s body as they stood there, he kissed him, then trailed his mouth down Aaron’s jaw, flicking his tongue out tentatively and moved to mouth at his adam's apple. His hands cupped Aaron’s ass as he pulled him even closer. Spencer moaned as Aaron’s hands wandered over his back making him moan as he pressed their groins together. Spencer continued down Aaron’s body, his tongue flicked over the dark hard nipples making them even harder. He was rewarded with Aaron’s noises of pleasure and the hands that fisted in his hair. He trailed his tongue back up and paid special attention to the soft skin of Aaron’s neck.

“Fuck, Kitten,” Aaron growled as he walked them slowly back towards the bed. He broke away and got on his hands and knees in the middle of the large bed. Spencer couldn’t help the moan that escaped as he was presented with Aaron’s ass. He kneed up on the bed and bent down to kiss and bite at the perfect, hard muscled buttocks. A moment later had him moving off the bed to grab the lube, the condom and the ever present towel that was on Aaron’s nightstand. They had talked before about this, but Spencer never figured that it would actually happen. 

Opening the lube he slicked his fingers up, then poured some onto Aaron’s hole. The moan that came from him almost had Spencer faltering, but he took a deep breath and slid a finger inside that tight heat. 

“Don’t hold back Kitten,” Aaron growled as he pushed back on Spencer’s finger. The younger man’s heart was racing as he slipped a second finger inside and slowly fingered his lover, loosening him up. “That’s it, fuck, those long fingers of yours, feels so good Kitten.” Spencer pulled his fingers free and wiped them on the towel, then grabbed the condom and pinching the resevoir tip he slipped it on, careful not to let the thin latex break. He made sure the half-moon ring was flat against his cock and carefully sheathed. He poured some of the lube onto his hand and slicked the condom up just enough to be able to slide inside Aaron.

He waited a moment to calm his breathing as he laid his hand on Aaron’s ass, pulling him apart just a bit.

“Are you sure, Sir?” Spencer wanted to make sure that Aaron was okay with what they were doing. He knew Jackson was the only person Aaron bottomed for, and on the very rare occasion, his Spencer.

“Yes, Kitten. I want this, like I said, don’t hold back. I want to feel you, I want you to fuck me, to use me.” Aaron turned his head just enough so they could lock eyes. He nodded once and that was all it took for Spencer to continue. 

Grabbing his now achingly hard cock in his hand Spencer guided himself slowly inside Aaron’s now slick entrance. As he pushed the head of his cock inside, he had to still himself a moment. The feeling was overwhelming as the tight heat wrapped around him. He grabbed Aaron’s ass and pulled his cheeks apart wanting to watch himself slide inside Aaron. His breath hitched as he pulled back, then pushed in again, going farther in. He was taking his time, enjoying every second of the experience.

It added something as expletives and nonsense words slipped from Aaron’s tongue. The Dom was being taken apart bit by bit as Spencer slowly fucked him. He didn’t want to go too fast at first because of the piercing, but Aaron was begging him and it was a little heady. Gripping Aaron’s hips Spencer gave in to what he wanted to do and fucked into Aaron hard and fast.

Aaron was shaking under Spencer’s ministrations, the drag of the piercing inside him was like nothing he’d ever experienced. All the sensations were heightened.

“God, you don’t even know Kitten. That, no words, no fucking words.” Spencer couldn’t help the growl that rumbled in his chest as he edged closer to his release. He pumped in and out of Aaron harder, his breath shallowed, his heart raced and he felt that pull in his balls, moving up through his groin. 

“Sir, please, please…” He wasn’t even sure what he was begging for, Aaron didn’t give him any limits for this and a part of him was a little lost. He almost faltered as he pushed in hard making Aaron cry out.

“Yes, Kitten, come, come when you want. Fuck.” Aaron practically yelled as he buried his head on the pillow under him. 

Spencer pulled almost all the way out and pushed in hard. He did this a couple of times, then he gripped Aaron’s hips harder as he pushed in a final time, he came hard as he cried out. It took him a moment before he pulled out, Aaron was turning around on the bed and Spencer saw the wet spot, he raised a brow at his lover.

“I came when you did. Jesus christ Kitten, that was amazing.” Aaron pulled Spencer on top of him and kissed him so hard that he tasted a bit of blood. “Go clean up and come back.” Spencer scrambled off the bed and went to the bathroom to take care of the condom and thoroughly clean his now softened cock. He used some peroxide wipes to clean around the piercing. After, he washed his mouth and saw where his lip split just slightly. Taking a moment to process Spencer gripped the sink as he felt a moment of melancholy descend around him. He shook his head as he walked back to the bedroom with Aaron waiting for him.

Crawling up on the bed he settled in Aaron’s arms and splayed his hand over the man’s stomach, slowly caressing.

“Kitten?” Spencer should have known that Aaron would pick-up on his sudden mood change. 

“That was amazing and thank you for trusting me,” He said as he buried his head against Aaron’s shoulder.

“Then what’s wrong?”

Spencer wasn’t sure if he could put into words what it was that was bothering him, and he thought that it didn’t matter, but somehow, with the possibility of getting back home, somehow it did matter.

“I have no more firsts left. I’ve given them to you and not to him and I don’t know, it’s...it suddenly matters and I don’t know why.”

Aaron wrapped his arm tighter around Spencer as he held him close. 

“You were moving into a relationship that was new and probably a bit exciting. I’m not going to say I’m sorry, I won’t give you that. But, maybe you’re looking at this all wrong.”

Spencer frowned as he sat up on his elbow and looked down at Aaron.

“What do you mean?”

Aaron chuckled as he cupped Spencer’s cheek, he let his thumb caress almost absentmindedly.

“We are very different people Spencer. From what you’ve told me of your Aaron, he’s good, kind and genuinely wants to help people. I’m not that. You know this. I am a possessive, selfish man and everything I do is for Spencer first, Jack and myself. When you go back, you’re going back to a different person, a different man. Just because we bare the same face, does not mean we are the same. You will have those firsts, if you want them.”

Spencer had to admit that he didn’t think of it that way. There was so much that was like his Aaron that he thought all of that was lost, but there was a lot of sense to what Aaron was saying. There were still those possibilities, that is if they gave each other the chance. They weren’t the same and that lifted Spencer’s spirits just a bit. 

“Kitten, let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.”

Spencer hummed sleepily as he lifted his arms for the cuffs, then curled on his side. It wasn’t long before he drifted off to sleep, new hope filling him as he fell deeper. The despair he had found himself in just a few days ago was lifting. He was full on fast asleep when Aaron wrapped around him, coming to terms with the possibility that he was going to lose this Spencer with no guarantee of getting his own back.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer took the seat that was directly in front of the stack of paperwork that Aaron had laid down when he'd gone into the round table room as soon as they had arrived at work. No one questioned that they carpooled, given they lived in the same building. Spencer enjoyed it, even if he did arrive at work a lot earlier than the others. He usually brought some kind of school work to do before the actual day started.

The rest of the team filed into the bullpen somewhere between half an hour before scheduled time and five minutes early. Spencer had gone up to the room long before so that he could get the seat that he wanted. He shifted in the chair and let out a small moan. Aaron looked up from his paperwork with a sharp eye right on Spencer. Spencer had booked another session with Trevor the night before because Aaron had needed more than just training. Aaron had been training with Trevor as much as work allowed but last night was the first time that Aaron had taken a tool to Spencer. Trevor hadn't wanted to use Spencer because of his ability to lie with his body. Aaron needed someone who wasn't so hard core to learn what was too much and what was not enough. 

Last night though, he'd needed Spencer. 

"Stop that," Aaron's tone was hard but there was a lilt to it. "I know what you are trying to do and I thank you but Dave is on his way in here. If you can't sit still, you can go to my office and kneel until you can."

"Is that supposed to be a deterrent?" Spencer asked. 

"Is what supposed to be a deterrent?" Rossi asked as he entered the room. He looked between Aaron and Spencer with a smile on his face.

"Hotch threatened me with having to read all the files in his office if I didn't quit bugging him on what the meeting today is about," Spencer lied as he smiled at Aaron. 

"That is not a deterrent at all. Aaron, you know the kid lives for paper trails."

Spencer kept his scowl to himself at the kid thing. From his Dave it was understandable, he saw Aaron as his kid and so had adopted Spencer into that role as well. It was meant as a nickname that came from a place in his heart, as much as it were but from Rossi it wasn't anything of the kind. Aaron nodded at him that he understood. Spencer picked up his book and started to read. Aaron wasn't going to start until everyone was there. 

"Reid likes them yes but mine is all budget paperwork. Though, I still want to send him in my place to the next budget meeting."

"The Brass would hate you. But we might get our budget approved at whatever you have it just to get rid of him." Rossi sat down in the seat next to Aaron and tried to sneak a look at the folder. Aaron laid his hand on top of it, glaring at Rossi. The older agent raised his hands then pulled his phone from his pocket. He got lost in the words on the screen while Aaron worked on whatever he was working on and Spencer read. 

"So Hotch, what is with the early assed meeting?" 

"I'll explain when everyone is in here." Aaron didn't even look up when Morgan asked his question. Spencer closed his book and looked at Morgan. He tried to figure out exactly how the dark skinned agent was going to respond to what was coming. Morgan had been placed as Unit Chief when Foyet had been after Aaron two years before. He hadn't done bad according to the letters that Spencer had read. Spencer though knew that he wasn't going to be able to keep his mouth quiet about how he was treated once Morgan took over. He'd chafe under the way it was. 

Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia arrived as one with baked goods and coffees all around. He thanked JJ with a kiss to her cheek when she handed over his coffee and it was done perfect. 

"Wow, Spence. You are feeling good this morning," JJ said as she took the seat beside him. Spencer had already ate and so he passed on a baked good, which earned a weird look from Prentiss.

"I even got your favorite, chocolate with sprinkles." 

"I had a very full breakfast." Spencer pushed back from the table enough to cross his legs and set his writing tablet in his lap. Aaron had woke him up with a lazy round of sex before cooking a big breakfast for all three of them. They were settled into a nice routine. He didn't figure it would be too much longer before the talk of a house was brought up, once the other Spencer came back.

"Thank you all for coming in. The BAU is going to see some changes starting today." Aaron stood up and everyone else kind of stilled. Aaron didn't stand when he talked to them normally, only in the really important moments from what Spencer was able to gleen. There was a knock on the door behind Spencer and Aaron nodded towards it. Spencer frowned and stood up to do as he wanted. Standing there on the other side of it was Alex. Spencer squealed and hugged her before she could even step into the room. Alex laughed and hugged him back tightly. There was a chair open to Spencer's left and when she pulled away from the hug, Spencer ushered her into it after shutting the door. Aaron was allowed a brief smile to pass over his face. "Team this is Alex Blake, she's the newest member of the team."

"How did you get the Brass to allow another member?" Rossi asked. 

"They didn't." Aaron picked up the top file and flipped it open. He looked at it and then slid it over to Morgan. The next file was slid over to Spencer, without looking at it. "I am going to be stepping up as Section Chief in the wake of everything that has happened."

"WHAT!" Morgan yelled. He stood up and slammed his hand on the table. Spencer held in his gasp of shock. Derek would never do that. The look on Aaron's face said that he wasn't happy that Morgan had done it.

"Sit down, Morgan," Aaron said. His voice was low and gravely. He stared Morgan down until the emotional agent took a seat again. "Thank you. I didn't take this lightly but a few things have changed in my personal life and I needed to make an according change. As well as whoever took Strauss' spot as Section Chief was going to be dealing with a lot of fallout from what Strauss had been doing to this team and others. The upper management is going to be keeping a very close eye on everything. Whoever takes over needs to stand their ground to keep the teams functioning."

"But you will go insane, man. You were not made for a desk job. You haven't accepted yet have you?" Morgan looked more upset than he really had any right to be and it was irking Spencer. His hand itched and he really wished he had a letter opener in it that he could threaten the man with. He really missed his letter opener from his world. 

"I have. I have been clearing my work for two weeks. Today, the new Unit Chief takes over. Yesterday, the final decision on the replacement Unit Chief was made. I had already started to work on all of the Section Chief paperwork."

"So who is it?" Prentiss asked. Her eyes kept darting to Alex and Spencer wondered if all of them were worried that Alex was coming in as Unit Chief. It was like they didn't know Aaron at all. He gave up his post to make sure that he wasn't forced out two years before. He wasn't going to give the team to someone they didn't know, not as Unit Chief.

"Look Hotch. I understand but we need you and you are going to kill yourself not being on the team." Morgan was trying to change Aaron's mind, Spencer knew that but it was the wrong words to choose. "You live for this team, man."

"No, I do not." Aaron's tone sent shivers down Spencer's spine. It was the tone that when his Aaron used it in court, hell was about to reign down on the asshole who pissed him off. 

"You didn't leave this job for Haley, Hotch. You didn't leave it when she died and you had Jack to raise. What has changed that has made you want to leave this job?" Morgan asked.

"Nothing like that has changed but I have. I found the want to stay home with Jack more and the rest of the reasons why are none of this team's business. I'm still going to be helping to hunt the monsters and Jack will know that I'm still his hero."

"Is someone blackmailing you?" Morgan asked.

Spencer glanced briefly at the other agent with a look of disgust on his face. He wasn't going to hold that part of him in. 

"You really think that Hotch would let someone blackmail him like that?" Spencer asked. 

As if shocked, Morgan's head spun to him so fast that Spencer might have thought he got whiplash from it. The rest of the team except for Alex had matching looks on their faces, especially Garcia. She looked shocked and a little upset that Spencer questioned Morgan. 

"And what exactly do you think that Hotch has in his closet that would give someone the ability to blackmail him? I think that someone who was using Jack against him would know what happened to the last man who threatened the boy. You are the one with trust issues on the team so it's not like he'd try and keep it from us if someone was threatening or blackmailing him."

"Reid," Prentiss started. 

"Don't even start on trust with me," Spencer said turning his head to her. "How long did Hotch lecture you on what you pulled with Doyle and how to save your life he had to lie to all of us? Do you all really think that he'd lie to us over something like this? After what lying about you almost did to us?"

"Reid, it's fine." Aaron looked at Spencer and it wasn't really a look that he should be giving him in public much less in front of the rest of the team. It was gone in seconds though.

"No, he's right." JJ smiled at Spencer and patted his shoulder. "He is totally right. I thought about it as well. How I didn't think that you could really want to leave the team but I have to accept your reasons why and understand that you are doing what is best for you." 

"So who does the Brass want taking over?" Rossi asked.

"I only gave them a single name and I've spent two weeks making sure they understand why but I'm a little leary right now of just handing it all over." Aaron looked at Morgan and the darker skinned agent seemed to deflate under that look. "The Director wants a six month trial period for you as Unit Chief Morgan. My things are already moved out of my office and I'll be taking over a different office than what Strauss used. I don't like the glass doors."

"What's with the file for Reid?" Rossi asked.

"He's taking over as Lead Profiler. You are still going to be Assistant Agent in Charge. The Director likes your name attached to things still. But I think that he wants to be able to tout Reid's name as well. This unit puts out a lot of psychology papers that Reid helps on or outright writes."

Spencer knew that Prentiss might chafe a little under not being named lead profiler. While she had more experience in law enforcement than him, Reid had been with the BAU for longer. There wasn't a lot that she could counter with that. JJ looked shocked and Rossi just looked a little happy. Morgan had been lead profiler since he'd taken over as Unit Chief for Aaron after Foyet. With Morgan taking over as Chief there was a real chance that he would have been and that meant more paperwork. Spencer didn't mind it and he was sure that the other Spencer was going to love it. 

"So Blake is taking your opening on the team. Morgan is taking over as UC. Rossi is staying AAIC and Reid is taking over as Lead Profiler. Any more changes?" Garcia asked.

"Yes. JJ will be taking over as Media Liaison full time again. Morgan is going to have enough taking over as Chief that he's not going to be able to do it as well as his job. I know you have enjoyed the more profiling aspects but are needed as the liaison more."

JJ huffed a little at that but she didn't say a word. She looked at Spencer and it was like he could read her mind in that instant. She hoped to have him do some of it but Spencer wasn't even going to touch that at all. He knew his job and he was going to stick to that. He just hoped that Morgan did as well. There was one thing on slipping a few files into Spencer's to do when they all were buried in work and he was the quickest but it was another to shirk duty by putting it off on someone else. All else fails, Spencer would make sure that Rossi backed him up.

"But other than that, it's all."

"So where is your new office going to be?"

"JJ's going to be taking back her old office. Morgan will be moving to mine and as a peace offering, after the Strauss debacle, the Director is giving Reid an office. So the closest office to the bullpen that has an antechamber will be mine. That way anyone who needs me can get to me quicker than Strauss' old one. Reid's office is undetermined at the time as someone else has laid claim to Morgan's. So that leaves Prentiss and Blake alone in the bullpen but we will be adding another team to the BAU's roster as well. I've talked to the Director and he agrees that having a team that focuses more on non violent repeating crimes and better ways of tracking them for urban areas."

"I've heard some interesting things that Grimes Tech is launching. How does the Director like it?" Rossi looked interested in a way that Spencer hadn't seen him before. 

"You've not read much about it have you?" Aaron asked with a smirk on his face. He looked proud as hell and it was a look that Spencer had seen on his Aaron but not much on this Aaron at all. 

"No." Rossi looked at Aaron and frowned at the smirk on his face. "Why?"

"Garcia pull up the joint press release that the DOJ and Grimes Tech released. "

"Okay." Garcia started to type on her computer which had automatically synced to the screen in the room. A few sites popped up and then one took the full screen. 

"Why does it matter what's in the press release?" Prentiss asked.

"Because there is another reason besides a peace offering about Reid's office. While on leave in Atlantic City with Reid, I had my eyes opened in a few ways. I figured out that I would never be comfortable in that world. I also watched Reid and Grimes discuss a two million dollar a year job. Before we left, he'd signed the paperwork and walked away with three million per year."

"What?" Rossi asked.

"Reid is the DOJ side head of the project. Hell Grimes is giving him minions."

"Minions?" Spencer asked. He hadn't expected that word out Aaron's mouth. 

"That's what Grimes called them and it kind of stuck. He's going to be getting an upgrade to all of his home tech and yes Garcia he will be carrying a tablet but it won't be valid for casework. I think that some of the tech he has can do his taxes for him."

"I do my own taxes, thank you." 

"This team is going to go through some hard changes over the next few months. With Reid's new side project, he might just be doing telephone consults with you guys on some cases. Blake is going to be a hard hitter for the team and on occasion, I will join teams in the field to make sure that you are functioning unit. It's going to be hard but I think that this team will be stronger for it. I think this unit will be stronger for it." Aaron nodded at each of the team before he grabbed his files and left. He pulled the door shut, not giving anyone a chance to say anything to him.

"I feel like I don't understand a thing that happened," Garcia said as her eyes never left the screen of her laptop. She was reading through all of the press release. "This project that Grimes is doing is awesome and it's awe inspiring and a good thing. It would make my job a lot easier once it's up and running. It's going to take a lot of man hours."

"It really is. Did you see who he's going to employ in each state?" Spencer hoped to distract the lot of them enough to where Aaron could slip into his office and finish up the last of the things he needed before he moved to Strauss' old office. That part of it was temporary as his assistant did need a place to work until another location, closer to the bullpen could be found. 

"I saw that. I can understand wanting cops and vets and others who are shut ins work on it. He's doing a damned good thing for all of them."

"Let the rest of us read, mama," Morgan said his eyes on the screen.

"I'm looking forward to having an office. The privacy will be nice." Spencer really was looking forward to it. He still hadn't really got used to working in the bullpen. He was used to his shared office with his Aaron. 

"You are going to need it with the project. I'm glad for you, Reid. It's a big project but I think that it'll help. Even if it helps to save even a handful of people, it's worth it." Garcia looked tickled pink. 

"Jackson is really looking forward to getting it off the ground. He came to Atlantic City just to woo me into taking it." Spencer smiled and laughed. "He hit on Hotch. He's very omnisexual and he doesn't even try and hide it. I've never seen Hotch shocked silent but he was. It was totally worth it."

"I would have loved to have seen that," Rossi said. There was a look on his face that told Spencer he was thinking deep about something. "It's about time he's started to try and get back out there again. I know that Haley's death threw him for a loop but he's been divorced over four years now. Maybe taking the Section Chief job will help him in that. He can focus on maybe finally picking up a hobby besides running and then find a girl."

"Hotch finding a hobby besides running?" Prentiss asked. She started to laugh. Spencer bristled but didn't let it show. "He'll probably spend more time at the range. He likes three things, running, guns, and spending time with Jack. Your best bet Rossi is to find a soccer mom to latch onto him. Whoever you find will have to be the pursuer. Look at what he let happen with that running partner of his."

"Emily is right," JJ said.

A knock sounded on the door and before anyone could call out for whoever it was to enter, the door opened. It was Aaron's new assistant, Grace.

"Doctor Reid, Hotch wants your help on a few things."

"Sure." Spencer gathered up his things. He kissed Alex on the cheek. "I'm glad you are here."

"I bet," Alex said with a smirk on her face. 

Spencer followed Grace through the small hallway that lead back to where he knew that Aaron wanted to have his office. Aaron was standing in a doorway to what was an office suite. 

"What's up, Hotch?" Spencer asked. Aaron turned to look at him, a smile on his face.

"So this is the office with an antechamber in area around the bullpen that is open. It's actually closer than I thought that I would get. It's closer than Garcia's office. There is room for two desks for assistants but I think that one bigger desk would work."

"Work for what?" Spencer asked. He was trying to figure out why Aaron would need two assistants. 

"We need to find an office for you. Grace has already said that she'd gladly take messages for you and have your office phone set to ring to her's when you are on cases. Both of the offices are the same size but there is one added little thing that you might like." Aaron stepped farther into the antechamber and Spencer followed behind him. The office to the left had a desk inside of it and a few bookshelves but otherwise is was empty. Spencer frowned as Aaron moved to an area of the room that had nothing in it. Then he realized that there was a door that led to the other office. Aaron opened the door and showed him that it did indeed lead to the other room. "We can work most of the time with the door open. You said that you shared an office with Aaron at the law office. My Spencer is going to be used to that as well by now and I'm sure that this would be good for him."

"And you are sure that the Brass is going to go for this. Won't it be a little bit odd?" Spencer was sure that the Section Chief wanting to share an office suite with a underling who wasn't one of the Unit Chiefs was a little odd. 

"We can use the exact reason I gave you. Someone who can take messages for short things or transfer the caller to voicemail if it's important enough while you are on a case will be a great help with the Database Project. Then your assistant from Grimes Tech and Grace can keep in touch. You can be tracked all the time and they won't be worried."

"You won't be worried," Spencer pointed out. Aaron smiled and looked around before he hooked a finger underneath the collar that Spencer was wearing under his clothes. Spencer took that half step that Aaron wanted him to and it took him right into his space. The look in the older man's eyes had Spencer getting hard. The finger curled tighter and then he was being pressed into the wall. Spencer hissed as the welts on his back connected with the doorjamb behind him.

"I like knowing where you are every single second. That's the only thing that I am going to have trouble adjusting to. Sending you out on cases. But you are going to be good aren't you?"

"I'll be perfect, Sire," Spencer whispered. He wanted to lean into a kiss but Aaron's finger curled in the collar stopped him. Aaron's eyes were darting between the doorways into both offices. 

"I know you will be." Aaron leaned in and pressed a hard kiss onto his lips. Spencer wanted to touch but Aaron hadn't told him that he was allowed to. He whined a little when the lips left his own. "We will pick that up later. After we get home. For now, let's go and see about new office furniture."

"New?" Spencer asked. He was sure that the FBI wasn't going to foot the bill for new furniture. He figured there was a catalog somewhere if there were no extras laying around.

"Oh, yes. We are going to go hit that store seven blocks from the house. I've seen you eyeing things in there," Aaron said as he finally let go of the collar. Spencer tried to figure out what he meant as he didn't remember looking at office furniture when he'd been out with them.

"Hotch, is it okay if I go ahead and start to get the office equipment brought into the antechamber?" Grace asked, her voice telling Spencer that she was kind of close. So that was what Aaron had meant. The other Spencer had seen things and Aaron didn't want to run the chance of her hearing Aaron calling him the other Spencer. 

"Yes, Grace. And I'll get you that big desk you showed me the picture of."

"Thank you, Sir." 

Aaron straightened his clothes and smiled as he stepped back from Spencer. "We have a lot of shopping to do. Chairs, bookshelves, desks, couches, and a few end tables."

"And two dorm fridges. And at least a Keurig for me. I guess you can use it if you want," Spencer said playing along. 

"I was going to get one for Grace for her office. I'll just use it." Aaron reached out and ruffled Spencer's hair and Spencer glared back at him. Grace laughed as he tried to get his hair back to the way that it had been. She stepped up to him and easily started to fix it. Spencer hadn't paid much attention to the woman before. She was very pretty but she'd long ago passed young. Spencer estimated that she was somewhere between Aaron and Rossi's ages. There was no ring on her finger and no evidence there had ever been.

"Unless she'd like a different machine."

"Keurig is fine with me. I don't drink a lot of coffee so it'll be nice to have for when I do."

"Oh, what do you drink?" Aaron asked. 

"Tea. I bring loose leaf tea and steep it using water I'll brew through the Keurig."

"Then an electric kettle it will be. I know of a nice one," Spencer said. Grace smiled at him. "I might get one for my office as well. I've been drinking a lot more tea lately."

Spencer turned and looked at his office, mapping what he wanted and where he wanted it. There was a great deal of room in there and while he'd love it to be full of books, Aaron was right that a couch was a good idea if for no other reason than Jack. Who did visit his dad on occasion at the office and being right next door to each other, Spencer knew that Jack would want to visit him. He thought about a smaller bookshelf that would be perfectly Jack sized that a few toys could be set on as well as books and the top could hold snacks and drinks for the boy. He could see making both offices a place where Jack would like to spend time. Making the coffee table in his office low enough to where Jack could sit on the floor and do his school work because a desk would be a little strange. The bookshelves could be passed off as for Henry when he grew up a little more and for Jack as a byproduct. It wouldn't be that odd. 

Before they left for the day, Spencer packed up his desk so that Alex could take it over. He made sure that she was comfortable being left alone with the rest of the team. He knew that the team would be on better behavior with her than they would have been with anyone else. Prentiss and her were talking together when Spencer and Aaron loaded onto the elevator for a day of shopping for office furniture. 

Just as they were getting into Aaron's car, Spencer felt his phone vibrate. He pulled the phone from his pocket and looked at it. He frowned as he took in the message that Morgan wanted to talk about Hotch. One would think that Morgan would love the chance at advancement in his job. He wondered what exactly Morgan's thought process was on why Aaron wouldn't want to leave the job. He had a feeling that things would have been explained in too much detail for the man to accept that this was what Aaron wanted. 

"What's wrong?" Aaron asked as he put the car in reverse. Spencer kept his mouth silent as the older man carefully backed out of the spot that he was in. He's started to use the reserved spot for the BAU Section Chief two weeks before. Spencer was shocked that it hadn't caused the rumor to spread long before now. 

"Morgan." Spencer closed his eyes and wished he could just scare the man into doing what he needed to do but that would never fly with this one. Everyone in his and his Aaron's household held not a small amount of fear about him. It had grown over the years and Aaron never tried to wipe that fear away. They all had known that he had gone to Japan and what he had learned while there. They didn't know the extent of his exact body count or some of the more unseemly things that he had done for Aaron but they all knew that he was deadly. "He's going to become an issue. As long as he thinks that he can make you take the job back, he's not going to settle into it and the unit is going to hurt for it."

"I can't do anything until he tries something."

"I know. He wants my help in making you see his sense. I don't understand why he thinks you are unable of making a choice in your own future."

"Because it doesn't match with what he wants out of his future. He doesn't see himself leaving the unit for love or children so he can't understand someone else doing it. I didn't do it when Haley left me or when she died. Why would I do it now? He can't understand that something has changed and it hasn't been a big fiasco." Aaron's hands tightened on the steering wheel. Spencer reached up and grabbed his right hand, dragging it over to his thigh. Aaron's hand wrapped around it on his own. Spencer closed his eyes and moaned. There were a few welts on his thighs from the whip that Trevor had coached Aaron through wielding the night before. Aaron hadn't marked him much but what he had done, was going to stay on him a few days and he loved it. Aaron's body relaxed and he grounded himself on Spencer. 

Spencer turned his head towards the window to watch everything pass while he crowed inside. He had been able to help this Aaron in more ways than one. He just hoped when he swapped places with the other Spencer that Aaron wouldn't revert too far. Aaron's ability to rely on Spencer and Spencer on Aaron would keep them where they would need to be.

* * *

Spencer hadn't been running except in the mornings. He'd gotten into the habit years before and it had stayed but every once in awhile, he needed to run at night or even after dinner. He'd feel like his skin was too tight and he'd know that doing anything but running wouldn't make him feel any better. When he was in his world, he'd run with whoever was at the house, if his Aaron wasn't available.

Running in his new world meant running alone more often than not. With Aaron's new work hours before and after the normal time for the rest of the BAU, Spencer was spending more time with Jack. Alex was in the unit and she was fitting in well with all of them. Garcia had been very upset with it all. She hadn't gotten over Aaron moving to Section Chief well at all. Morgan still hadn't accepted the fact that Aaron had moved up. Spencer had been using Grace to put off Morgan all week. While the unit was getting settled in with the new changes, Aaron was keeping them grounded. The other teams were picking up the slack. Spencer was working on consults of cases that were active in the country and it was helping him stay sane with all of the inactivity. 

It was quiet out given the twilight hours. There were people driving past but not a lot of walkers. Spencer kept his mind active and didn't think on too many things when he ran later in the day. It was a Friday night and since the area was mainly residential and not a lot of bars or late night haunts, the area was nice and quiet. It's why Spencer ran there. 

As Spencer passed an alley his eyes swept down the street and he had a split second to react to the man who was there. Spencer spun but the man grabbed him still. Spencer grabbed the arm that had a hold of his and spun into his body. Spencer planted his feet and pulled on the arm. The man's momentum rolled him over Spencer's body and he landed on the ground. Spencer quickly grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back and he kneed into the area just below. The man let out a breath as Spencer's full weight pushed into him from that single point. 

"FBI!" Spencer near screamed in the man's ear. It wasn't until he sat back a little but still all of his weight was on the man that he realized that not only was the man not even fighting but that he had a pair of cuffs on the back of his pants. He looked up at the man's head, he'd know that back of ahead anywhere. "Morgan?" 

Spencer didn't even get up or release him. He just sat there and looked down at the face of the man who was his teammate.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

"I didn't even realize that you didn't see me until I was eating asphalt. I am sorry, man. I was just wanting to talk and I saw you running from a block away."

Spencer shoved Morgan's face down into the ground before he stood up and stepped away from the man all together. He looked around and saw that there were people looking at them. Morgan pushed himself up and brushed his clothes off. He was frowning at Spencer.

"Not here. Whatever it is, not here."

"We are a few blocks from your place."

"No. Not there either. Jack's bedroom shares walls with mine and I won't have him woken up from you screaming at me. We will go to the park." Spencer knew that there was one nearby that would work for what they wanted. It didn't close at sundown and was usually empty after dark as there was no sport facilities and only a running/walking track. 

"Reid, I just want to talk."

"And you are already worked up and you yell when you are upset. It's the park or nowhere." Spencer reached behind his back and check the glock there. It was one that he had found out that had been Aaron's the other Spencer had used to kill an UnSub. It had been in a lockbox under Spencer's bed and he'd found it when he'd moved. He'd learned how to shoot on it from his own Aaron and had started to carry it after he'd found it, in addition to the revolver that was Spencer's normal piece. It was registered to him as Spencer had taken care of that when Aaron had given it to him. The weight was a nice reminder.

"Fine." Morgan started towards the park.

"I'm going to get a drink and I need to relax my muscles. If you want to walk with me fine."

"I'll get your drink. What do you want?"

"London Fog."

"What?"

"The shop has it, don't worry. Unsweet London Fog." Spencer pointed at the small coffee shop that was open twenty four hours. Morgan nodded and moved towards it. Spencer jogged across the street at the intersection and watched Morgan with his drink the entire time. He went through his cooling down stretches as he watched as well.

Morgan was quick with getting the drink and even ran across the street. He handed the drink over to Spencer. There was a splash stick in the cup and Spencer pulled it out before he took a sip. He sighed in happiness. Morgan was looking him up and down. 

"What did you want to discuss?" Spencer asked him. 

"You. For months now you've been different. I talked to JJ about it and she said you were finding your footing after Prentiss' return. You were finding and showing your spine finally. But there is something more and there has been something more going on for a long time. I know that you've never been that open with even showing any part of your body but I think that we would have known about your scars before now. You played a good game in getting Ford to confess, and with helping my cousin tell you the truth of what happened to her but there is no way that YOU faked any of that. So tell me exactly who you are because you are not my Spencer Reid."

"You really think that someone would be able to hide who they really are from the entire team. For how long?"

"I think six months. There is the whole everyone has a doppelganger out there but your brain...you are smart. And I've been looking for surgery scars but I can't find one."

"So you wanted to confront me in a park in the dark? With no gun?" Spencer asked. 

"It's not like I couldn't take you, whether I hurt you or not is another story." Morgan looked like he was bracing himself for something. Spencer just smirked at him. There was an area that was a little more secluded just a few dozen feet away. Spencer brought his drink up and moved over to that area. Morgan, the idiot, actually followed him over there. Spencer drained his drink and threw the cup away before moving to towards the bench on the edge of the grass. He pulled his gun from behind his back and set it down. He heard the intake of breath that meant that Morgan had seen it and was shocked.

Morgan was paying more attention to the gun and not Spencer so the blitz attack was a complete shock to him. Spencer knew how the man fighted and had been trained extensively in being able to fight men with Morgan's build. There was also Spencer's training in Japan. He knew more weak spots in the human body than combat trained Morgan did. 

"Reid!" Morgan screamed as legs were swept out from under him. Spencer watched as his body fell and the dark skinned agent was preparing to roll into it and pop up away from where Spencer was. Spencer moved and as soon as Morgan's head had stopped moving, he easily delivered a blow to the side of his head with his foot. It wasn't enough to give him a concussion but it was aimed right at the side of his head where his ear canal was, it was meant to disorient. Morgan blinked several times as he tried to roll onto his stomach to push himself up. As soon as the man made it to hands and knees, Spencer was right there behind him, grabbed his shoulder and digging into the meat. Morgan's arm gave out and he crashed to his face. Spencer grabbed his arm and pulled it up behind his body before he settled on Morgan's legs. Spencer's other hand went for his hip, grabbing a nerve there that caused Morgan to spasm and go all the way down. 

"Do you yield?" Spencer asked. 

"Reid, just let me go," Morgan said. It wasn't quite a plea but still it wasn't what he wanted. Spencer jerked on the arm he had behind the man's back and heard the pop that told him he'd taken Morgan's arm out of his socket. It was one of the first things that Derek had ever taught him after he'd come to live with Aaron. 

"Do you yield?" Spencer asked over Morgan's scream.

"I do." Morgan sounded defeated

Spencer tossed the hurt arm away from himself before he stood up and moved over to where his gun was. He picked it up and snapped off the safety. Morgan had rolled to his side, his hurt arm up and cradled into his body. The man was looking at him with fear and anger on his face. 

"Come by Aaron's in the morning when you are calmer and I'm less likely to seriously harm you. If I see you before then or you call Aaron before I make it home, I'll put a knife in your gut or a bullet in your brain." Spencer slipped the gun into holster at his back again before he moved back to Morgan. He nudged the out of socket arm and when Morgan rolled onto his back to get away from him, Spencer straddled his chest and leaned down to get in his face. Morgan was panting from the pain and not a small amount of fear. "You are very correct that I am not your Spencer Reid but I am a Spencer Reid. The physics of it all are much beyond your idiotic brain so I won't even go into it but I have made a life here and nothing is going to ruin that, not even you. If you even breathe a word of this to anyone else, Derek Morgan, I'll make you wish that you had died. I'll make you want to eat your gun."

"Reid, man...you are scaring me." Morgan didn't look like he believed him and Spencer was thankful for that.

"Come to breakfast at Aaron's. Be there by nine. I can't stand people who are late so be there on time or else, Agent Morgan." Spencer pushed himself up to his feet, hitting Morgan's shoulder as he did. He didn't even look back at the agent as he walked away. He wasn't afraid of anything. Aaron would make him see reason and it would all be fine. 

Spencer jogged back to the building and instead of going to his own place to change he let himself into Aaron's. Jack was in his pajamas in the living room reading. It was past his bedtime and by the look on Jack's face he had been asleep. It must have been a nightmare. 

"I'll be right back, Jack."

"Okay." Jack's eyes followed Spencer as he went back to the bedroom where he found Aaron turning down his bed for the night. He kissed the older man's cheek before he slipped into the bathroom. 

Five minutes later, he was stepping back out, naked, toweling his hair off. He wasn't going to get it totally dry because Jack needed cuddles. Aaron handed over his sleep clothes and took over toweling his hair while he dressed.

"Nightmare?"

"Yes. He said he's fine but I don't know. He doesn't want to talk about it with me. Maybe he will with you."

"I left my phone in my place. Do you mind going and getting it?" Spencer asked. Talk of Morgan could wait, Jack needed him. 

"Sure."

Spencer kissed his lips in thanks before he moved out to the living room where Jack was still where he had been but he was also still on the same page of the book. Spencer sat down on the couch and patted his lap. Jack threw the book down to the floor and flung himself into Spencer's arms. Spencer settled him down to where Jack's back was to the arm of the couch and he was tucked into his body. 

"What did you dream about?" Spencer asked. 

"That dad died."

"Why don't you want to talk to him about it?"

"I..." Jack shook his head and buried his face in Spencer's shirt. Aaron moved from the bedroom area out the door to get Spencer's phone. 

"You have to talk about it Jack. If you don't want to talk to me about it, we can call your doctor and see if she will talk with you tomorrow. But you have to talk about it."

"Dad doesn't."

"Yes, he does. He talks to me."

"Does he?" Jack asked. 

Spencer knew that it wasn't a dodge. There was something that Aaron was either keeping from him or lied to him about and Jack knew it. That could wait for another day though. Tonight was about Jack and then it was going to be about Morgan and neither Spencer nor Aaron needed to be raw considering what was going to happen in the morning. 

"He does, Jack."

"Even about what Bad Man George did to him?"

"Even about him. So tell me what you dreamed about." 

"Dad died on a case and it was sad."

"And?" Spencer knew there was more to it than that. He knew that in the aftermath of Foyet, Jack had dreamed that time and time again. The door opened softly and Spencer looked up at Aaron.

"I was happy that you hadn't died as well," Jack said all in near whisper. There was no way that Aaron had heard that and for now it was a good thing. 

"There is nothing wrong with that. You used to dream the same thing only it was your Aunt Jessica who was alive. It just means that you really like me and that you see me as someone who protects you. That's all it is."

"Do you promise?" Jack asked.

"I do. It doesn't mean that you love your dad less but that you've made me part of your family." Spencer kissed the top of his head and started to rub his back. Jack seemed to just go limp with the knowledge that he hadn't done something wrong. His breathing even out but Spencer didn't want to move him. 

"What happened?" Aaron asked as he moved over to help Spencer stand up when he was sure that the boy was dead to the world.

"He had a dream that you had died and he was happy that I hadn't. He didn't understand that it wasn't a wish for you to die but that he was seeing me like family. He'd only had those dreams with Jessica before and his relationship with her was never questioned so he could understand that. The relationship with me and your Spencer is a lot different so he thought that he was choosing me over you. Tomorrow we are going to let him sleep as long as he wants and if he wakes up before nine we will figure something out."

"Why nine?" Aaron asked.

Spencer shook his head as he laid Jack down in his bed and covered him up. Aaron took it as it was meant that he just needed to keep quiet until Jack was down. Aaron was already in the hallway when Spencer was sure that Jack wouldn't wake from the change in positions. The light was already off in the room so he back out and closed the door halfway. Aaron pulled him into the bedroom as soon as he could.

"What happens at nine?"

"Morgan shows up to discuss the fact that I am not this world's Spencer Reid. He surprised me on my run. He was stalking me, Aaron. I don't...I didn't take it well and when he sort of threatened me, I subdued him and dislocated his shoulder." Spencer made his voice take on a watery quality. Aaron wrapped his arms around him. 

"We will deal with him in the morning. I am not shocked that someone else has caught on. You've been lucky."

"I know."

"Strip and get in bed." Aaron moved to the bathroom where he started to do his own bedtime routine. 

Spencer did as he asked and laid down with his hands up. Aaron would affix the cuffs as soon as he laid down. Aaron didn't take long at all to get into bed. He attached the cuffs to Spencer and then laid down and wrapped himself around him. Spencer knew that he'd messed up with Morgan but it had felt good. He just hoped that it could be saved. That he hadn't screwed the other Spencer's life that much with his instance of letting go.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer was nervous. He was pacing around the bedroom only half-dressed. He wore jeans and had a t-shirt laid out, but once he put it on, it was going to make what they were going to do real. He wasn’t sure if he was ready for another disappointment. This time Aaron was coming along. He sat in the vanity chair and put his head between his legs to quell the butterflies in his stomach. He heard the door open and the soft fall of steps, then Aaron was right there in front of him.

“Stand.” 

Spencer didn’t even question it as he stood. Aaron pulled something out of the box his collars were in. It was the key to the one he was wearing. Without saying a word, Aaron was taking it off and putting it back in the cabinet. Spencer stood there frowning and waited a moment to see what Aaron was going to do. When he picked up the platinum set, Spencer almost protested, but a finger was laid on his lips stopping him.

“I want you to have this. I want you to have something from me.” Aaron secured the collar around his neck, the cuffs around his wrists and the nipple rings he replaced. He then held Spencer’s hand out and placed the cufflinks, the ring, the bracelet, and the thin leash with the chain that matched the set in it. “I never got to see you with an earring.”

“You’re scaring me Aaron. You’re acting like this is actually going to work.”

“I don’t think I’ve seen Charlie this confident. He is very much of the mind that it will work. Put your shirt on, we’ll have dinner, then we’ll go.”

Spencer slipped the items in his pocket then put the shirt on. They made their way to the dining room in silence. When Spencer saw Jack his heart broke as he went to the boy and pulled him in close, hugging him.

“I love you,” Spencer whispered in his ear. “I will miss you Jack.”

The boy wrapped his arms around Spencer’s neck. The three of them had talked earlier in the day about what was going to happen and the possibilities. There was a part of Spencer that didn’t want to say goodbye.

He let the boy go and wiped away the tears that fell. Jack was silent as they sat around the table having dinner. When they were done, Spencer hugged the boy once more, then he and Aaron left for the lab.

Spencer walked in and got his breathing under control. This was it, he knew whatever happened this time, it was going to be the last, it had to be, none of them could keep going like they were. It would be painful, but Aaron and Spencer would have to accept whatever came next.

Aaron took him in his arms and held him close.

“Whatever happens, I have regretted nothing that has happened between us.” Aaron bussed a kiss on Spencer’s forehead, then let him go. He nodded his head then turned and went to the long desk that was all along one of the walls. He picked-up his notebook and went over the new sets of numbers.

“Okay, I’m going to start up.” Charlie said as he began to bring the collider on line. The tension in the air was palpable, but Spencer did the best he could to block it all out, he didn’t want any distractions as he watched the numbers on the computer outside of the main lab.

“Alright, we’re all set. Spencer, if you please.” Spencer nodded then went inside the lab. With notebook in hand he took down the numbers and when he looked at the computer he saw it was all like that day. He turned his head and smiled at Charlie.

The collider was still coming online and Spencer kept his head. His heart was pounding as he heard the mechanical sounds of the start-up. The tension inside the room and out you could cut with a knife. 

The machine slowly came to full power, the first part of the experiment Charlie started-up. The numbers showed the particles doing what they needed to do. 

The numbers held steady as Spencer kept taking down the calculations His hands were shaking because this was the closest they had ever gotten.

“Okay Spencer, I’m ready, are you?”

Spencer took a deep breath and looked around him. When he looked out of the glass shielding he locked eyes with Aaron and nodded.

“Here we go, in 5...4...3...2…” The particles were released into the machine. The noises being made had Spencer whipping his head around to the computers and he stared at them, wide-eyed. Then the klaxons started to ring and blast doors locked. This was real, this was happening and Spencer looked-up once more to see Aaron standing there, tears fell as they looked at each other. 

Aaron watched helplessly for a moment and knew, he knew this was it.

“I love you,” Aaron mouthed just seconds before Spencer broke eye contact and made for the same area as the first time hiding for cover. 

Then the blast, then….blackness.


	10. Chapter Ten

#  _Mirror World_

Slowly Spencer was waking up and felt the heavy weight of an arm around his waist and leg thrown over his own. That was the first clue something was different. The other Aaron only snuggled up and wrapped an arm around him. The second clue was when he opened his eyes the room was all white. He groaned as he buried his face in the pillow.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Spencer slumped down on the bed and knew he was in a hospital room.

“Well, there was no way that I wasn’t going to have you checked out, Pet.” Spencer stilled and if anyone had been looking at him at the moment they would say that his expression was almost comical, even though the situation wasn’t. He swallowed hard as his breath shallowed, almost afraid to move, afraid to hope that what he heard was real. Letting out the breath he was holding and not moving, he knew he had to know.

“S-Sir?” Spencer started to shake with the knowledge that he just might be home.

“Yes, Pet?”

"Oh god," Spencer cried out as he turned around and clung to Aaron. His hands felt along Aaron's back and the familiar scars were there. He pulled back a moment to look at his lover's face and saw the close shaved beard, and that hungry look in his eyes. "It's you, it really is you."

“Yes, Spencer, it’s me.” He was engulfed in a strong embrace and for the first time since Aaron had taken him in, he cried. This wasn’t just a quick crying jag, this was a hard, emotional purge. Once he started, he couldn’t control it, and everything he had been trying to hold in over the last six months came pouring out. Aaron just held him tight, arms around his back and legs entwined making him feel safer than he had been in such a long time.

While the club had helped, it still wasn’t the same. And the other Aaron was still just learning, but it wasn’t even that. He couldn’t put into words what it was other than he was home. The kisses and touches and being held so tight in Aaron’s arms were all helping to ground him.

“Hey, you’re home love, you’re home.” Aaron couldn’t help the lump in his own throat, but he wasn’t going to cry. He had done that silently as Spencer slept in his arms after he had dug him out of the room with the collider.

“Aaron, I was so lost, but I did what you always told me. I survived, I survived to come back to you.”

“You did and nothing is going to take you away again. He promised that he was going to tell Dr. Epps they had to destroy the Collider so this never happens again.”

All Spencer could do was nod his head and curl up on Aaron's body. The oh so familiar scent of him. He had missed the smell of Aaron's cologne and that underlying smell that was so uniquely him. Spencer buried his nose against Aaron's neck and took a deep breath.

The two men stayed like that, entwined in each other till the Doctor came in the room.

“Mr. Hotchner, Dr. Reid, I need to check you over Dr. Reid, and if you are feeling okay and there are no concussions, I feel pretty confident that I can release you.” Spencer felt that Aaron was reluctant to let him go, and he knew the man wasn’t going to let him out of his sight for quite a while. At least not till they were both settled more.

"It's okay, I want to get out of here, but the Doctor won't release me unless you let me go Aaron." Spencer smiled and waited till Aaron moved in and gave him a kiss. It was soft but no less possessive, and Spencer wanted more, so much more, but he knew they needed to wait. Finally, Aaron let him go and nodded his head at the Doctor.

Spencer watched as Aaron stood and grabbed a bag then went into the bathroom. He knew himself that he wasn’t going to let Aaron out of his sight for a long time. He may have prevented the drop he had known was coming, but it didn’t mean, that now that he was home it wouldn’t come fast and hard. Swallowing he turned to the Doctor and nodded.

She quickly did a fast physical, checked his eyes, his ears, asked if he had any headaches or problems with his hearing. He said no to everything, and felt fine. After asking several questions about the date, who was President, and other baseline questions, she seemed satisfied.

"Okay, it looks like there is no concussion, but if you feel like something is wrong, please follow-up with your own Doctor as soon as possible. I'm not going to give you medication, you seem to have come through fairly okay. Just take it easy for a day or two. I'll have a nurse come in with your paperwork, and as soon as you sign, you're free to go."

“Thank you.” Spencer watched her leave then heard Aaron coming back into the room. He had changed into casual trousers and a polo shirt.

“Someone is outside to see. Do you think you’re up for visitors?”

Spencer wondered who it could be, and could only nod. He was still a little emotional, and until he and Aaron could be alone in the playroom, he would probably feel like this till then.

"It's okay Pet," Aaron smiled as he opened the door and Jack practically flew inside. Spencer had been standing, but as soon as he saw Jack his knees buckled and he fell to the floor holding his arms open. Jack didn't hesitate as he flung himself into Spencer's arms.

“Papa, Papa, is it really you?” Jack cried as the young boy buried his head against Spencer’s neck.

“Yes Jack, it’s me,” Spencer whispered in Jack’s ear, the lump in his throat not letting him talk much louder. His arms had wrapped around the boy and he held on tight. “I missed you so much Jack, so very much. Not a day went by I didn’t wish you were there.”

"Pops said there was a Jack in his world. Did he take care of you, Papa?"

Spencer didn’t want to think about the young boy he left behind, it would break his heart too much. But, having his Jack in his arms went a long way in helping to let go.

"He was younger than you are, but so much like you, but no one will replace you in my heart, Jack." Man and boy held on to each other a little longer, and only breaking apart when the nurse came in to give Spencer his discharge papers. Standing up, he excused himself and went to the bathroom. Laid out on the lid of the toilet was a set of clothes and, to his surprise, a pair of converse. Spencer almost laughed and would certainly be asking about that later.

He turned and looked in the mirror and tried to find any signs that he had changed while in the other reality. But, he didn’t find anything, all he saw was himself as he always had been. He frowned a moment and wondered if that was such a bad thing. He knew that his counterpart would be going back changed, there was no way that being with his Aaron wouldn’t have changed him. He almost wished he could see it. He felt like he had gotten to know the other Spencer quite well, and knew the hidden heart and strength of the man. He smiled at his reflection and knew that those the other Spencer loved were not going to know what hit them. He also hoped that Aaron wasn’t going to take advantage and just think he was going to pick-up where he and Aaron had left off. A different Spencer, a different set of circumstances. He didn’t envy the two men at all, he knew they might have a rocky road. He hoped that he laid enough of a foundation for Aaron to see what he has with the man that returned to him. If not, the implosion would be devastating for them both.

Taking another moment to splash water on his face, he picked up the jeans Aaron had brought him. They were his favorite pair. He slipped the underwear, then the jeans on and looked to see the t-shirt, and on the back of the door was a casual jacket. The clothes were familiar and a comfort. He put the shirt on, then sat down and put the socks and shoes on. Finally feeling better he slipped back out and saw Aaron and Jack smiling, waiting for him.

"There you are," Aaron said as he walked to him and fingered the collar on his neck. "I have one more thing." Aaron pulled the overnight bag to him and pulled out the black and purple collar that was one of his favorites. His body shook with the anticipation of having it around his neck once again. Aaron took the one he had on, off him, then put the other on, and Spencer couldn't help closing his eyes and feeling like for the first time that he was home.

Fingers touched his cheek as a hand wrapped around his waist. He could almost feel what Aaron wanted but knew they had to wait till they got home.

“Come on, let’s get you home where we can talk.”

Spencer stepped closer and kissed Aaron, his fingers digging into Aaron’s sides.

“I don’t want to talk, Sir.”

“Spencer…”

“I need you, I need the playroom. I barely held it together, please, Sir.” Spencer was close to begging as Aaron wrapped an arm around him.

“Okay. We’ll start there.” Spencer stayed tucked up against Aaron, with Jack on his other side, the three of them walked out of the hospital. The drive home was thankfully quick and when they got inside no one tried to accost them.

Spencer spent a little time with Jack, the boy not wanting to leave his side. He knew this too was going to take a while to break him of, but truly Spencer didn’t mind. He had his son back, and just that went a long way to healing his heart. Leaving the boy in the library, Spencer made his way to his and Aaron’s bedroom.

Stepping inside was both like a homecoming and odd at the same time. There were little things around the room that spoke of the other Spencer. He wasn’t sure what to make of that. He let it go for now as he stepped towards the closet and took off his clothes. He knew Aaron was close, but not exactly sure where he was. It didn’t matter, he was used to waiting for hours if necessary. After putting the clothes away he reached under the bed and pulled out the sub bench and kneeling on it, he closed his eyes and began to feel more grounded in this singular moment than he had in the last six month.

“Look at you, so eager for me aren’t you Pet?”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer swallowed hard and waited in anticipation.

“Are you sure you’re ready Pet? You don’t want some time to adjust to being back home?”

“No. Please, Sir.” Aaron wondered if his time in the other world had marked him at all. He recognized the edges of subdrop right away and knew Spencer needed the centering. He stood in front of his Spencer and something in his heart stuttered. Here was his love, the man he gave everything to and smiled. Aaron looked over at the box of collars that belonged to the other Spencer and knew he was going to have to say goodbye. Though he had grown to love him, and probably would have continued to love him if he never got his Spencer back, but it wasn't the same. He didn't feel the same possessiveness, the same all-consuming passion that he had for his Pet. Taking a deep breath he slid his fingers in Spencer's hair and gripped him hard. The length was almost perfect.

“Please what?” Aaron demanded and Spencer let out a little shiver. This was what he missed. The hard edge in Aaron’s voice, the fingers curled possessively in his hair, the demands from his Sir on what he wanted.

“Please, hurt me, fuck me, use me, please.” Spencer was more than willing to beg for what he wanted.

"Open your mouth." Spencer kept his eyes closed and complied. He hadn't heard Aaron undoing his pants, but when he felt the head of Aaron's cock slip into his mouth he moaned in pleasure. Aaron didn't let him go, his head was held still as a hand was gently wrapped around his throat. Spencer almost dropped into subspace right there but kept control. He didn't want it quite that quickly, but the feeling of being truly safe with Aaron gave him a heady rush. He relaxed his throat and moaned as Aaron used his mouth so perfectly.

“Are you still mine, Pet?” Aaron pulled out and Spencer almost whined at the loss. He looked up and felt the love he had for his Aaron fill his heart. He had buried it down, protected it and let nothing and nobody touch it.

“Always, Sir.”

Aaron kept the grip in Spencer’s hair as his eyes narrowed and hardened.

“You felt nothing for him?” Aaron needed to know where Spencer’s mind was at.

“I cared about him, about how he was hurting Spencer. But, I’m yours always, Aaron.”

Aaron couldn't help the swell of emotion as he pulled his hand away from Spencer's throat. He also felt sad for his counterpart. He knew his Spencer quite well and knew the game he had probably played with the man to help keep himself centered. He wondered if the other man would figure it out. If he was as smart as Kitten said he was, eventually he would. He put all thought of other worlds, other Spencer's and Aaron's out of his mind and let himself settle knowing that he had his love back.

“Stand.” Aaron let Spencer go and the man stood and moved towards the cabinet. “Getting cheeky now?” Aaron breathed in his ear as arms came around him. He leaned back and closed his eyes and felt so very normal.

“I’m sorry. I just need it so much.” Aaron caressed his chest, his fingers going right to the rune and felt the shiver that came over Spencer. A hand settled on his belly, fingers pulling slightly on the ring. Spencer let out a gasp and his cock filled, anticipation curled low in his stomach as Aaron touched him.

“Maybe I should just tie you to the bed and keep you hard and leaking for hours. Only let you cum when I want you to. Leave you there, wondering when I’m coming back as I work in the other room. Hmmm? Should I do that Pet? Or, the playroom. Give you a new mark or two. Take you to the edge or your limits and just as you’re screaming I bury my cock inside you and fuck you so hard you’ll feel it everytime you move. Is that what you want?”

Spencer was shaking with such need that he almost couldn’t answer. When a hand moved up and gripped his hair hard and pulled his head back, a tongue licked up his cheek as the grip around his waist turned more possessive.

“Answer me, or you wait till I want to use you again.” Aaron knew it wouldn’t take much, but knowing how much Spencer needed what only he could give he needed to know what Spencer wanted.

“Playroom, please,” Spencer practically whined. Aaron kissed his neck then moved away. He stood there in front of the cabinet as anticipation ramped up inside him. A moment later Aaron was unlocking the cabinet and letting Spencer choose what he wanted.

When he grabbed the whip with sharp edges to the tail, the short hardened bamboo cane, and the stiletto, Aaron knew he wanted very hard play and new marks.

“You sure love?”

“Yes.”

Aaron put the items on the bed and pulled out a new set of nipple and belly rings he had bought when he purchased the platinum and peridot set. These were also platinum and had gem quality amethyst teardrops. They were specially cut to be weighted at the bottom of the drop. He changed out the simple hoops and put the new ones in.

“Our favorite jeweler had these specially cut just for us. Do you like?”

Spencer closed his eyes and felt the pull and loved it.

“Yes, Sir.” He swayed a little, the feeling was delicious and something he had missed.

“There’s a set, for when we go out. I’ll show you later.” Spencer eyed Aaron a moment and knew there was something more going on with his lover, but he would wait. He didn’t want a confrontation, not till he was fully settled and he wouldn’t fully settle till after he got what he wanted.

His eyes were still closed when the click of the leash on his collar had him opening his eyes. A purple and black silk robe was being wrapped around him, and it made him smile about the surprise he had left in Spencer's closet. He hoped the man would find them soon, of course, he wouldn't know, but it made him happy to know that they were there. He also hoped that Spencer had come to learn how to pamper himself. He had to admit that he had missed the luxury and the pampering he got from his Aaron.

“And just why do you look like the Cheshire Cat, Pet?”

“Just a few surprises I left for the other Spencer. Really, Aaron, you should have seen the state of his closet.” Spencer shuddered a moment thinking about the clothes he had bagged up and left at the local charity shop.

“And I think I turned you into a clothes snob.” Aaron smirked as he kissed Spencer. It was a little peck but it was, to Spencer, the best thing in the world.

“Later, I’m going to ask about the shoes.” Spencer bit his lip and pleaded with his eyes to just get on with it already. Aaron softly chuckled and ran his knuckles over Spencer’s face.

“There are journals for you to read. I didn’t look at them, I gave him that privacy. Later, you can read them. Come on, I know you’re anxious.” Aaron grabbed the leash and started walking without saying a thing. Spencer had no choice but to follow, and it was so achingly familiar that it let him quickly fall easily into his submission.

By the time he was hooked up to the St. Andrews Cross, Spencer was practically vibrating with need. Then the first crack of the whip, the shallow cuts to his skin, the noise it made, the surety with which Aaron wielded the instrument it all went straight to Spencer’s head. His body relaxed almost immediately and he was floating, falling, but felt more secure than he had in months.

When Aaron fisted his hand in his hair, he settled even more.

“Tell me how you are.”

"Green, so green, please, Sir, more…" Spencer's mouth dropped open as he stared at Aaron, his eyes slightly unfocused. A searing kiss was placed on his lips, and he whimpered at the possessiveness of it all. Aaron pulled back and gave him a little water, checked his eyes and his pulse as he ran a hand all over his back, scraping at the welts causing Spencer to hiss at the feeling.

“More of the whip? I want you on the table strapped down after I fuck you,” Aaron whispered in Spencer’s ear.

“Yes, yes please,” he begged.

Aaron pulled back and gave him 15 more strikes, each one more exquisite than the last. The pain turned to pleasure and he was moaning against each crack of the whip as his cock filled, but was restrained by a cage.

Another check, another kiss then he heard the whoosh of Aaron testing out the cane. He kept his eyes closed, the anticipation was delicious as he gripped the wood of the cross. The first expert crack against his back had him bowing into the pain. He cried out. He couldn't see what Aaron was doing, but he knew the man was mapping out his strikes, knowing just where the hit and how hard was his specialty. Spencer had almost cum once when he watched a young, pretty sub be dominated by Aaron. She wanted the cane but didn't quite trust her partner with it yet. The club had approached Aaron, who agreed. He had then spent some time teaching the young man what to do over the course of a few weeks. But all Spencer remembered at the moment was watching the power and precision of his lover. That precision was currently trained on him, and when a particularly hard blow landed on his thigh, he screamed as he slumped against the cross.

A moment later he felt fingers at his hole, he leaned back as much as he could as Aaron wrapped an arm around his chest. Fingers were replaced with Aaron’s cock which he shoved in hard and fast making Spencer cry out.

“God I missed you,” Aaron moaned at the feeling of Spencer’s tight heat around him as he pounded hard inside him. He knew he was rubbing against the welts and slight cuts all over Spencer’s back making his lover scream even more.

“Sir!” Spencer could only wrap his fingers around the beams of the cross as best as he could. And when Aaron reached up and wrapped his fingers around Spencer’s holding him there, Spencer started falling hard and fast into that space he had been denied for so long. While he had achieved subspace at the club, it was mild because he wanted to always be aware. He had needed to stay aware to keep himself safe.

“Missed you, missed being inside you, hurting you, giving you pleasure,” Aaron murmured against Spencer’s neck as he thrust in harder then pulled back and thrust in again. “Close, so close love.” His grip on Spencer’s hands became like steel as his rhythm faltered and he thrust in hard once more and came inside his sub. Spencer was slumped against the restraints and Aaron carefully removed them and guided him over to the table. It wasn’t lost on him that Spencer was leaking, but the cock cage kept him from coming. Aaron had plans to keep him on edge all night long.

“Tell me how you are?” Aaron asked as he attached the restraints to Spencer so he stayed secure on the table. As he was touching everywhere he could, Aaron noticed the bite mark. Seeing it almost threw him out of his headspace, but he figured that Spencer had a good explanation for it. He set it aside and would talk later, now wasn’t the time for it.

“I’m good, Sir,” Spencer slurred just slightly, then he looked up at his Dom and smiled as he tilted his head towards the table, almost begging for what was to come.

Aaron picked up the stiletto and smiled.

* * *

The luxury of the bath Spencer had missed. Aaron added a little peroxide and other antiseptics in the water to help keep the cuts clean. The antiseptic soap helped as well. Spencer was floating, and his body was more relaxed that it had been since the switch. After the first cuts of the knife, Spencer dropped so hard into subspace that it took Aaron a while to pull him back just enough that he still floated.

“Thank you, Sir,” Spencer slurred as he floated in the water, only being loosely held by Aaron.

“We both needed it.” Aaron pulled Spencer to him and settled his lover on his lap. He knew that he wasn’t going to let Spencer out of his sight for a long time. He had overseen the destruction of the collider, and Charlie didn’t protest. The scientist understood the ramifications, even if the science was still just a tad beyond even his comprehension. He was still trying to understand exactly why it reacted the way it did when the real Hadron Collider had never had that reaction.

When the explosion happened, and Aaron saw Spencer getting into that small space his heart had dropped into his stomach, and when Derek held him back till the fire suppression could kick in, he thought he had lost both of them. Spencer had been so still. When the locks finally disengaged, Aaron ran in, not caring if there was any possible radiation, which, thankfully, there wasn’t. With a strength even he didn’t know he had, he was shoving debris out of the way to get to Spencer. The first thing he did after pulling the man out was to take off his shirt. When he saw the rune, the relief that went through him, was like nothing he had ever felt.

He had gently picked Spencer up in his arms and laid him in the back of the SUV he had driven to the lab in, he didn't want an ambulance coming to this facility. It would be cleaned out and anything they were doing would be buried so very deep that no one would be able to find it. Of course, only a few minds in the world could even comprehend what had even gone on. He was brought out of his thoughts by Spencer straddling his legs and doing everything he could to make him hard again. Which didn't take very long. He knew Spencer needed this, and for the time being, he would let the man have control, find his center again. He didn't mind, and as Spencer slid down on his cock he shuddered at the pleasure. He then wondered if he could talk him into the Prince Albert, he had enjoyed it immensely on his Kitten, he would love it even more on his Pet.

“You feel so good Pet,” Aaron growled as he wrapped his hands around his lover’s waist, holding him but not guiding him. This was all for Spencer.

"Need you so much," Spencer gripped Aaron's shoulders, his fingers digging in. By the moan coming from his Sir, he knew his doppelganger probably never exploited Aaron's own pain kink. He moved up and down as he bent and kissed Aaron, missing how possessive they were of each other. He really didn't think the other Aaron truly got it. Spencer would burn the world for his Aaron. He would destroy anything and anyone that tried to come after him. He had lost hope for a short-time, but he never gave in, couldn’t as long as there was a chance to get back home.

“Close, so close,” He mumbled against the lips pressing against his. He pulled back and looked in Aaron’s eyes and knew he was close as well.

“Come, my Pet,” Aaron dug his fingers in Spencer’s waist, he knew he was going to leave marks. He thrust up hard to match the movements of Spencer riding his cock and it felt wonderful. Then when Spencer cried out as he came, Aaron thrust up hard and followed right behind. Panting he wrapped his arms around Spencer and pulled him close. They stayed like that, holding each other settling even more in the knowledge they were back together.

“Come on, let’s get you out and I want to check your new marks.” Spencer shivered a little and smiled. He wanted to touch them, but they were too new. It wouldn’t take long to heal, they never did, especially with the care Aaron took of them.

After getting out, Aaron carefully dried Spencer and had him sit on the toilet so he could check to make sure the cuts were closing up like they should. He didn't see any new bleeding, but he dressed them anyway, using an antibiotic cream, then gauze to keep the wounds clean. He knew there was nothing deep on Spencer's back and was confident they were already closed and didn't need much attention. They were very shallow and would heal on their own.

“Are you hungry?”

Spencer was still fairly high, but his stomach growled.

“If you want, we can eat in bed, you can read the journals if you want, or if you want to ask me questions we can talk.”

“Bed sounds good. And I’d like to read the journals.” Aaron helped him into the bedroom and got him dressed in comfortable clothes. Spencer sat up in bed with several pillows propping him up. He couldn’t help looking around and seeing evidence of the other Spencer here and there. The box of collars, little knick knacks, books on the nightstand, a pair of glasses that he just knew would never be used again. He frowned and thought that he should be jealous, but he wasn’t, or at least he wasn’t aware if he was or not.

Looking to the nightstand Spencer pulled open the drawer and took out the journals that were there. Where he had preferred to write everything out on the computer, the other Spencer had liked to handwrite. It didn’t surprise Spencer to see the handwritten journals. He saw that they were in date order and organized them that way before he started to read.

Spencer was halfway through the first one when Aaron came back with two trays in his arms. Smiling, he took one and smelled his favorite soup, french onion with lots of cheese on top and he knew a large homemade crouton on the bottom. Next to it was a sandwich and a small plate of fruit, cheese, and nuts.

“Perfect,” he practically moaned as he took his first bite. He ate slowly as he took the journal in his hand again and read while he ate. He was going to leave any questions for Aaron till he got through them all.

The food was done, the tray long was gone. Aaron only came in to check on him and make sure he was okay. Water and fresh coffee would be left for him from time to time. He wasn't going to stop till he had read every word. He noticed there were some references to schoolwork and publications he had finished with exact dates and times of submissions. As well as a date to defend the Anthropology masters and instructions on if he wanted to pursue the Ph.D.

There were things that upset him, but he tamped down on his jealousy and anger till he got through everything. Once done, he set them all back inside the drawer and took out the photo album. He looked through it and knew he had made the right move when it came to Jack. He knew before even reading the letters to his mother that the other Spencer was coming to love his Jack, even if he hadn’t admitted to himself. At least he knew that relationship was going to be strong, no matter what happened to Aaron and Spencer.

Thinking of the other Aaron, Spencer knew he should feel something, but it just wasn’t there. He had said the words, mostly to settle himself, to make himself keep his Aaron in his heart. Though he came to care about the other man, and he didn’t lie when he told Jackson he would burn the world, for whatever Aaron he was involved in, it wasn’t love. Not like he felt for his own Aaron. It was greedy and possessive, but he didn’t feel the love.

However, when he looked around the room he had a suspicion that his Aaron had fallen in love. Or, he wondered, could it be the idea of Spencer that he fell for? He wouldn’t know until he was able to talk to his Sir about all of this. He looked up when he saw Aaron coming back into the bedroom.

“Finished?”

“I am.”

Aaron lifted a brow as he looked at Spencer, waiting for whatever was going to come.

“So, Foyet is dead.”

“Yes. And the BAU is getting cleaned up. Kate is a good choice.”

“I’m glad she took Alex, she deserves it.” Spencer sighed and thought of the Alex of the other world. “Ethan didn’t survive.”

“I’m sorry Spencer. I know you’re friends.”

“It was a shock, but knowing he was still alive here helped. The one that hurt was Victor. He had been killed by a serial killer. I saw Jackson, in Atlantic City.” Spencer grinned as he thought about the man. “He tried very hard to flirt with Aaron and would have been more than willing to have him in his bed. Aaron wasn’t sure how to handle that.”

“And I bet your claws came out, didn’t they Pet?”

"It wasn't the same as you and Jax. I understand you two, I wasn't going to let Jackson go too far. Besides, I don't think the other Aaron would be able to handle Jackson Grimes." Spencer went on to tell him about Atlantic City, how Aaron was uncomfortable around the money and the contract that he had signed for Jackson's project.

“It’ll be good for Spencer. I kind of forced his hand in all aspects of his life. I knew he wasn’t going to go back the same person. Not like you would let him.” Spencer yawned and felt tired. He knew there was so much more he needed to talk about, and he wanted to see Derek and even Rossi. He even might go see Gideon. It would be fun to tell the man how he had killed the other Gideon. He would describe it in great detail, the mental torture would be exquisite and Spencer wondered if he would get off on it. He looked up at Aaron and wondered if he would watch and listen. A hand in his hair had him coming out of his thoughts.

“It’s been a long day, Pet, why don’t you get some sleep and we can finish this conversation tomorrow. I know Derek will want to introduce you to Charlie, who is anxious to meet you.”

“Are you coming too?” Spencer didn’t often like to show his vulnerability, but right now he was still a little unsettled. He needed Aaron wrapped around him, to be held in those strong arms he knew so well.

“Of course, Pet. Why don’t you lie down, and I’ll be right there.” Spencer smiled as he slipped out of his clothes and readjusted the pillows. He got into bed and when the cuffs came around his wrists, and Aaron settled at his back he finally felt like he was truly home.

* * *

Spencer woke and felt better than he had in so long. He purred as he felt teeth scraping across his shoulder and hands exploring his body. The press of a cock had him pressing back. This was normal, so very normal. When he was turned onto his back and kissed, hard and possessive, he let go. He relaxed onto the bed and let himself just float, let Aaron take him, normal.

The hands on him, the mouth kissing and biting him, the cock breaching him as his legs were lifted, the surety that Aaron knew what he was doing, all went to settle him even more. The slow glide of Aaron’s cock had him shaking. The morning after grounding that they always needed Spencer had missed. His hands were being released and all he wanted to do was touch, to know that this was his Aaron.

“Beautiful. God, you’re beautiful. I missed you, missed this.” Aaron’s words whispered across Spencer’s skin and he shivered again. He surged up as he wrapped his legs around Aaron even tighter.

“Missed you so much,” Spencer panted. The slow measured pace Aaron setup was driving him mad, his felt his cock filled and the need to cum was close to painful, and it was exquisite. He wasn’t ready to beg, wasn’t ready for it to end.

Aaron sat back on his legs and pulled Spencer up with him. Sliding even harder down on Aaron’s cock, he couldn’t help crying out as he wrapped his arms around Aaron and started to ride on the cock inside him.

“Please,” Spencer gripped Aaron’s shoulders as he set a fast pace, his heart racing as he looked into lust blown eyes of his...everything.

The wicked smile that came across Aaron’s face had Spencer kissing him hard with his own possessiveness. The hands on his ass, squeezing created a delicious ache in him.

“Then come,” Aaron said in his ear as he scraped teeth along Spencer’s neck.

Everything was too much and Spencer obeyed and came between them. He clenched his ass and pushed down hard onto Aaron’s cock, then he was coming too. Still buried inside Spencer, Aaron held him close and maneuvered them off the bed and into the bathroom.

As they took their shower, Spencer slid down to his knees and nuzzled Aaron’s cock. It didn’t take much to make his Sir hard again, and he looked up, asking silent permission. Aaron cupped his cheek and nodded. Taking the cock in his mouth Spencer worked mouth and tongue together.

“Such a wicked mouth.” Aaron fisted his hand in Spencer’s hair, gripping it hard, then started to move, sliding in and out of that hot mouth. Spencer knew it wasn’t going to take long, he relaxed his throat, and a moment later felt Aaron release. Swallowing, he stood and finished taking care of his Dom.

“We have so much still to talk about. I know you have questions, do you want to talk here in the bedroom? Or go to the den?”

“Does everyone in the house know?” Spencer asked as he was getting clothes from his closet.

“Some of the staff suspected, but they’ve been quieted. But, yes, pretty much those closest to us know. It wasn’t hard for them to figure it out.”

Spencer snorted as he sat on the bed. He had put on soft linen trousers, a short sleeved button up and one of his waistcoats. He would forgo a jacket for in the house, but if they went out, he would grab one.

“The Converse?” Spencer smirked as he held up a special edition Dr. Who pair of the shoes.

Aaron smiled as he caressed Spencer’s cheek.

"He needed something grounding. He asked they look better than I expected. Even with suits. It wasn't hard to indulge him, and therefore let you have them. If you like them I won't stop you from buying what you want."

Spencer held up the mismatched socks and didn’t feel as attached to that quirk of the other Spencer’s. He might indulge it on the weekends, but workdays, he liked to look his best, even if no one saw it. Since it was Sunday, he decided to indulge. He put the socks and the shoes on and liked that there was a small reminder in this world of his time in the other world.

“Come on, let’s have breakfast, then we can talk to everyone.” Spencer stood and kissed Aaron, his hand went to the collar, grounding himself on it. He frowned a moment and wondered if that was going to be something he did often, or if it was just going to be there till he felt truly settled. Shaking his head, he wasn’t going to worry about it, right now, he was hungry and needed food. The rest would sort itself out as he got used to being home.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer didn't open his eyes when he started to wake up. He expected to be in a hospital or to have a doctor brought in. Aaron hadn't ever really said what he had planned if the experiment didn't work and he or Charlie were hurt. He wasn't sure what he wanted. He didn't know if he wanted to wake up in bed with Aaron and be stuck in the world he wasn't born in or back where he belonged.

At least though Spencer was finally able to admit to himself why a part of him hadn't wanted to go back, he was scared. He felt safe with Aaron. Aaron protected him, not just his body but his mind. The man would never let him come to harm in any way and he didn't feel that safe with his own Aaron.

As his brain woke up more, Spencer realized that he wasn't in a hospital. He almost sobbed as he felt a body wrapped around him and a hard cock pressed into his back, but whether the sob was in relief or despair, he wasn't sure. He pulled his hands closer to his chest, feeling the cuffs and the weight of the chain. He set about composing himself as he listened to Aaron breathe behind him. He still didn't open his eyes. He didn't want to know the reality he was in until he couldn't face it anymore.

The knock on the bedroom door didn't startle him. He waited for Aaron to call out to Jack before the door opened and the noise of feet on carpeted floor sounded. He felt the bed dip as Jack got up onto it.

"Dad, does Spencer not feel well?" Jack asked.

"I think he's still sleeping," Aaron whispered. Spencer didn't react at first as he hoped that if he faked sleep, they would leave but then what Jack actually said penetrated his brain. Spencer. Not Pops. He rolled over, his hands jerking on the cuffs and staring down at him was six years old Jack. He looked up to Aaron's face and the man was clean shaven. Aaron's eyes weren't on Spencer's face, though, instead were on the collar around his neck. Spencer reached to touch it and felt the cool metal. He tried to scramble to get the cuffs off but his hands were shaking. Aaron undid the chain that attached to the cuffs but his fingers grabbed the metal cuffs. Spencer was shocked that the cuffs went with him.

Spencer threw back the covers on the bed to find the other items from the other Aaron there, scattered on the bed around him. He was in pajama pants and a t-shirt.

"Jack, why don't you go into the living room and watch some TV."

"Can I have pop tarts?"

"Sure."

Jack smiled and jumped backward off the bed, he took off at a run out of the room but paused long enough to shut the door carefully. Spencer stripped off the shirt he had been wearing and saw the nipple rings were still there. He almost reached down and ripped down his pants to check on the Prince Albert piercing. He looked around the room and realized that since he didn't know where he was that he had to be in Aaron's bedroom. After he thought that he remembered that he'd not have woke in his bedroom anyway because he hadn't signed the paperwork on the lease so the other Spencer had to have moved him somewhere and this was the same layout that he remembered from when he'd toured the apartment that he'd looked at before putting in application for the building.

"Spencer?" Aaron asked. His hands reached out and touched Spencer's chest, tracing the smooth skin there. His hands settled just below his sternum and pressed him down into the bed. Spencer laid there while Aaron looked him up and down but he was still in pants so the man couldn't see all of him. And Spencer's back wasn't visible at all. "Hairless?"

"Yes."

"You aren't squinting to look at me. He never did either and I didn't realize. Eye surgery?"

Spencer nodded. He wasn't sure what to do and he didn't like that. He needed to do something. He wanted to reach up and touch Aaron. His Aaron. _His_ Aaron. He wanted to wrap the man around him like they had been when they woke up. The cuffs told Spencer that the other Spencer had come clean with him.

"Is that his?" Aaron asked as his eyes settled on the collar again.

Spencer swallowed before he answered. "Yes. He wanted me to have a few things. It's a matching set."

"Where is the key?" Aaron asked.

Spencer hesitated. He'd seen it under the leash but he didn't want to take it off. It was a safety net. Something must have shown on his face because Aaron raised up to a sitting position and then slipped off the bed. Spencer watched him move to a dresser and open the drawer. He pulled out a purple leather collar that just had a simple buckle on it. Spencer got angry then.

"I'm not going to wear a collar you bought for _him_!"

"And you think I want to see you in _his_ collar? This was one that Spencer bought for himself. He shot me down damned quick on the fact that he wouldn't wear a collar I bought."

Spencer eyed Aaron, looking for the lie. He frowned internally that he was even looking. Aaron wasn't the enemy. Spencer grabbed the key from the bed and reached up to undo the collar. He closed his eyes as he pulled the weight off. Aaron sank onto the bed and he hesitated before wrapping the leather around Spencer's neck and buckling it. It didn't feel right. He needed something else. Aaron took the key from his slack fingers and worked the cuffs loose. The sound of a drawer opening had Spencer opening his eyes. He looked to see Aaron slipping all the things from the other Aaron into a drawer.

"This is your side of the bed. I won't touch the things in here so if you want to keep them there you can. I need to go check on Jack. He's used to cuddling in bed with us on the weekends now."

"Just like-" Spencer cut himself off because he almost said home. "The other two."

"He had a nightmare last night and he talked to the other Spencer about it. He dreamed that I was killed and he was happy you weren't."

"So just like with Jessica but without the connection, so he felt bad about being happy I was alive when you were dead." Spencer saw the shock on Aaron's face and he smiled softly.

"We have a lot to talk about. A lot and more than just what happened. It's only seven so we have two hours until Morgan gets here."

"Why is Morgan coming here?"

"I need to take care of Jack." Aaron leaned in and kissed Spencer, hesitant but only until Spencer pressed back into him. Spencer opened his mouth as a tongue traced his lips. Aaron sat down on the bed, pulling Spencer into his lap, wrapping his arms around his waist. Spencer sank into the kiss, giving all that he had into it. He'd lost a little bit of the hope that he'd ever get back and he started to cry into the kiss.

Aaron shifted and laid him down while kissing him. Spencer opened his mouth to protest but the man didn't push for more. Instead, he grabbed the blanket and tucked Spencer in as he pulled back. There was the sound of Aaron moving around the room but Spencer didn't pay attention. He curled onto his side under the blanket, tucking his knees up to his chest. Aaron wrapped cuffs around his wrists and linked them back to the bed. A hand in his hair grounded him. Aaron said nothing before he let go of Spencer's hair and left the room. The snick of the door told Spencer that he was alone.

Spencer grabbed the pillow that smelled of himself. He inhaled the smell and released a breath before he let the tears fall. He grieved. He grieved for what he lost, in Aaron, in Jack, in Dave, in Derek, in the job that he hadn't exactly loved but liked the respect that he got. He'd miss that. He'd miss having the support of people around him that had respect for him. He couldn't have stayed. He knew that. Spencer cried until there were no tears left. Until he'd cried out all of his grief and pain and all that was left was a hollow feeling. He had things he had to do and to start to heal and to get better, he had to let go.

Fond wasn't the word that Spencer would use for how he felt about his time in another universe but there were moments that he thought he would have been happier there. But he had the chance to change a lot about his life in this world. Spencer brought up the image of Aaron and Jack in his mind and let the love he felt for them wash over him. He basked in that love before he let it go.

Uncurling from the position he'd been in, Spencer's knee twinged a little but he stretched it out some and then reached up to start undoing the cuffs. He wasn't shocked to find that they were a locking set like the ones that Aaron had in the other universe. That Spencer would have never let anyone else lock him in like that. And for a while, Spencer wasn't going to let Aaron use any more stringent bindings on him. Trust had to be built up to that point.

The call of the shower was too great to resist. Spencer stripped off the pants and tossed them into the hamper before he padded into the bathroom. He looked at the shower and smiled a little. It wasn't exactly a standard one. Spencer remembered that the bathroom in the apartment he'd viewed had been like it and he was looking forward to enjoying it. He touched the collar at his neck and tried to think back to the ones that Aaron had in the other world and he hoped it was waterproof. He didn't really expect Spencer to buy one that was an everyday one that wasn't.

Reaching into the shower Spencer started it. He gathered up a towel for his body and another for his hair, a washrag for use in the shower and piled the first two on the little shelf just outside the shower. When the room started to steam up, he moved into it. Sighing, Spencer let the water beat down on his body. He washed his hair first, sighing at the longer length. It wasn't quite as long as the other Aaron preferred but it was closer to the shorter hair he's had when he had one over to that world. He liked the length it was right now and he was going to keep it there. It was long enough that Aaron could still grip it if he wanted.

Once his hair was washed, Spencer moved onto his body. He was still adjusting to only having a little hair on his body. The rag was coarser than he was used to, he'd have to buy things he was used to because the other Aaron was right, he should be indulged. He worked hard and worked with criminals and indulgences should be how he made sure he took care of himself. He had a long list of things to do but the most important couldn't happen until then He wouldn't be able to call and talk to his mother until then. Given that Morgan would be over at nine meant he might not be able to do it until closer to eleven.

Spencer cupped his flaccid cock, letting the water run over the head and the curved metal bar. There was no urge to do anything. Spencer frowned at that, he hadn't realized how easily Aaron had trained him to not get hard unless he was around. Spencer wondered if it was the same with the other Spencer. He finished up washing off before turning the heat of the water up just a little more and bracing his arms on the wall of the shower and it beat on his neck and shoulders.

The cold draft told him the curtain had been opened. He didn't move from the spot as he felt more than anything Aaron entering the shower.

"What the-" Aaron sounded shocked. Spencer turned his head to look at him. Aarons' eyes were on his back. The tattoo. "You let him-"

"I wanted it," Spencer cut Aaron off but he didn't turn around. "I wanted it and yes he brought it up first but there was no pressure. He never pressured me into anything. I freely gave."

Aaron said nothing as he stepped up closer. Hesitant fingers brushed along the top edge of the tattoo.

"You left before he finished?" Aaron asked.

"What do you mean?" Spencer turned his head like he could try and see. "No, we filled in the last book last time."

"How many books?" Aaron asked.

"Six."

"There are seven. There is an open one on the desk that you are sleeping on and it's blank. These quotes."

"Read them to me," Spencer said. He was upset that the other Aaron had lied to him by omission. He hadn't ever felt the need to see the tattoo after the quotes had been added. He hadn't realized that a book had been added to the desk. He remembered the tattooist telling him he was touching up some lines on the desk, making some stronger. Aaron had loved him but that right there told him that he'd never have been what his Spencer would be to him. Aaron had said he'd never lie to Spencer but he must have meant he'd never lie to his Spencer. He tried to fit that into what he had of Aaron but it was gone. He mentally whispered a goodbye to the man who had shaped him into what he was now but that man was forever gone and he had an Aaron with him that would never lie to him anymore.

" _Him so I sought, and so at last I found, Where him that witch had thralled to her will, In chaines of lust and lewd desires ybound, And so transformed from his former skill, That me he knew not, neither his own ill_. Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene." Aaron's fingers traced over the location where Spencer knew the words were. Aaron's other hand settled on his waist, hesitant at being allowed to touch like that. Spencer pulled his hand from the wall and cupped Aaron's hand, pressing it into his flesh. The hand tightened, hard enough to bruise with that.

Spencer felt fingers on the next on and he quoted it. " _True strength lies in submission which permits one to dedicate his life, through devotion, to something beyond himself_. Henry Miller."

Aaron's mouth settled onto his skin tracing the words with lips before those lips uttered the words. " _The chains and the silence, which should have bound her deep within herself, which should have smothered her, strangled her, on the contrary, freed her from herself_. Pauline Reage, Story of O."

" _Submission is not about authority and it is not obedience; it is all about relationships of love and respect_. William Paul Young, The Shack." Spencer closed his eyes as Aaron's mouth moved up his back and his fingers stopped tracing the words on his back and instead settled on his other hip, just as tight. He had assumed that Aaron was naked but the flesh pressing into him confirmed it. The man's hard cock pressed into his ass cheeks and Spencer's mouth watered at the thought of having it in his mouth but he knew that it wasn't possible, at least not in the shower. "Be careful."

Aaron's hands gripped him tighter like he was afraid of him moving away. "Why?"

"I hurt my knee again. Twisted it and sprained it. I am fine for walking carefully but I am not allowed to kneel for a while."

"How?" Aaron asked his breath ghosting on the back of Spencer's neck, hot despite the steam of the shower.

"Later." Foyet wasn't something that Spencer wanted to bring up in the shower, not when they were on their way to sex. "I promise."

Aaron didn't answer verbally, instead, he loosened the hold of one hand and moved it to the front of Spencer's body. As soon as fingers closed around his cock, it started to fill. Spencer moaned as the water slick hand started to stroke him in time to the thrusts of the cock that was now pressed in between his cheeks.

"Next."

Spencer's brained stuttered at having to recall words while sex was on it but it only took a few seconds to call up the quote. " _That's part of the joy of being a submissive. None of the decisions are yours. When you can't refuse anything and can't even move, those voices in your head go silent. All you can do, and all you are permitted to do, is feel._ Cherise Sinclair, Dark Citadel."

The hand on Spencer's cock tightened just that much more and Spencer's knees went weak. Aaron's arm moved, wrapping around his chest under his arms, holding him up. Keeping him where Aaron wanted him.

" _He needed the hand on his shoulder, the kiss to his temple and the hot, ragged breath of his Master over his face_. Casey K. Cox." Spencer had never been so close to orgasm so quickly. He thought that he'd responded perfectly to the other Aaron but this was something different.

"Come," Aaron whispered in his ear and Spencer came with a cry. Spencer's legs gave out and only Aaron's arms around him kept him up. He felt the man thrust into his ass a few more times then his body stilled. Forehead on Spencer's shoulder, Aaron leaned into him. Spencer let them fall slowly into the wall and made so that he could take all weight off of his knee. "Were you done?"

"With the shower? Yes." Spencer felt Aaron shift a little then his weight was gone. The feel of the washrag over his skin was next, helping to wash away evidence of his release. The water was shut off next before Spencer was prodded out of the shower. When he finally got a look at Aaron he could see that the man was thinking about something. He let him have that as he started to dry himself. Aaron was drying himself as well but haphazardly. Spencer had all of himself dried off except for his hair before he took Aaron's towel from him and finished what he had started. Aaron watched him with careful eyes and when Spencer squatted on one leg to dry his legs the man exhaled like he had made a big decision.

"I can't say a single thing about the piercings, any of the three of them and I can't say a single fucking thing about the tattoo because I know that you did them because you wanted them. He may have suggested them but you wanted them. The other Aaron had laid precise marks on Spencer's body, whip marks, knife marks, and that damned rune. I know that he wasn't a good man, the other Aaron, but in some ways, he's better than me."

"Don't say that," Spencer chided.

"You don't understand. I sent Spencer back to him marked. Spencer said that Aaron wouldn't punish him for it but I did it in a moment of passion because I knew that I'd see his mark all over you no matter he did or didn't do to you. And it's not the tattoo or the piercings but I was so damned stupid. I let myself believe that just being with me, allowing myself to show him emotions was what was changing him but it was who he was and I see shadows of him in you."

"So what did you do to mark him before he went back to his Aaron?" Spencer asked because he knew that Aaron had to have done something that he felt bad for.

"The night he told me about everything after I'd finally had enough happen that I searched the apartment, I bit him hard enough to leave a scar on his inner thigh. There is no way that the other Aaron will miss it."

"You bit him?" Spencer wondered where that came from. He looked at Aaron, seeing shame but also a bit of not quite pride but justification.

"I bit him and the shock of it actually caused him to pass out."

"Would you do that to me? Without my permission?" Spencer asked.

"NO!" Aaron protested. He cupped the sides of Spencer's face, drawing him in close and leaning their foreheads together. "I don't ever want to hurt you."

"I can't be him," Spencer whispered.

"I want you to be you. Whoever that is now. I loved you before and I will love this new you as well because if the other Spencer proved one thing to me it's that we belong together. I will fight for you."

"I am not ready for saying those words. I feel like I'm standing on a crumbling floor and right now I can't see a way out."

"I'm sorry for-" Aaron nodded towards the shower.

"No. If I didn't want it I would have said no. Don't feel sorry." Spencer shifted on his feet and his knee twinged a little. The pain must have shown on his face because Aaron frowned at him. Before Spencer could tell him it was just a twinge, Aaron was scooping him up bridal style and carried him to the bed. Spencer didn't protest at all instead he laid his head on Aaron's shoulder and relaxed. He felt like he could fall back asleep but he knew that wasn't an option. There was Morgan to deal with.

Aaron set about getting everything together that Spencer would need. The suit that was laid on the bed was a bit different than what he'd got used to wearing but it was more his style than the other Spencer's.

"He drained your bank account buying clothes but refilled it and then some in Atlantic City. We have so much to talk about with that but right now we need to discuss Morgan more. And why Spencer did what he did to him last night."

"I wondered how he would handle Morgan. Derek, his counterpart was...vastly different. There are parts of him that I'll miss but Derek's predilection for bedding barely of age and sometimes in that questionable age, teen boys was not well liked at all by the other Aaron. Derek was what Morgan made sure he'd never become but Aaron kept him in line for the most part and we found him a safe and stable relationship to hopefully stop that."

"It sounds like no one was the same."

"No."

"The team roster has changed a lot, Spencer. Morgan is the Unit Chief and I am Section Chief."

"What happened to Strauss?"

"She made a move against the team that backfired on her. She tried to bench the other Spencer by citing that he had undue influence on the team and put us all in danger. The other Spencer learned well, profiling."

"He did a lot of it for his Aaron, just you know for evil." Spencer grabbed the socks and started to get dressed. Aaron kneeled at his feet and helped get his pants up to his knees before helping him stand. Aaron touched his skin a lot as the older man dressed him. He hummed in happiness as kisses were placed on his chest as Aaron buttoned his dress shirt. "This is a little dressy for the weekend."

"And with the upsets that are coming, you need every single bit of armor you can get."

"So you aren't on the team, who took your place?"

"Alex Blake. That's not all. You have an office, connected to mine, we share a secretary and you are the lead profiler."

"That doesn't get me an office."

"No. Jackson Grimes went to Atlantic City during the tournament to woo you into helping him with his database."

"He got the approval?"

"Yes and that's why you have an office and minions."

"How much?"

"Three million a year plus medical for your family."

"I want to see the contract." Spencer stood up fully from the bed and started away from Aaron.

"Spencer, the contract is here in my safe. There is also a digital copy on your tablet." Aaron moved towards the other end of the room and picked up a very fancy tablet. "It's not cleared for cases but Jackson keeps all your work things for him on there. It's also how you keep in contact with your Grimes secretary when on cases. All of your Bureau work has stayed paper files. The other Spencer finally got it through Garcia's head why you do paper copies. He wasn't the nicest to her but he didn't mess up your working relationship with anyone."

"I can't see him standing her for long. His Garcia was very....she was the best out of everyone. She stuck to her ways and wasn't caught by the FBI or Aaron made sure she wasn't. She was a damned good hacker and we worked well together on an issue that popped up." Spencer took the tablet that Aaron handed him and booted it up. The encryption on it was top notch. It wanted his palm print and Spencer hoped their hands were close enough. It read his palm and opened up. He found the contract and opened it up. He read through every single page of it before looking at Aaron. "I've always done well on making sure that mom is taken care of. Between her own disability and her pension, I've never had to pitch in much. Jackson added her on. She's got full medical coverage and it pays totally for Bennington. Before pension and disability."

"He left you journals. Detailing everything that he did here. They are in your apartment. After Morgan leaves you can go and read them. You need to eat."

"I left journals for him as well." Spencer laid the tablet on the nightstand, looking at the wall. He wanted to ask but he was afraid to. "How is Mom?"

"He went to see her. I kind of forced him to before I realized it wasn't you. I didn't ask about what happened but he point-blank told me that Diana knew it wasn't you from a damn TV spot from a case. She knew and none of the rest of us caught on for a long time. I was first and Morgan second but that was last night and when Morgan wouldn't back down, Spencer dislocated his shoulder."

"Not shocked on that. Derek had been training me. He'd trained the other Spencer for years and knew best how to train me."

"Are you okay to walk?"

"Yes. I might have to pull out the cane for cases but I am fine. I just have to be careful."

"Morgan isn't adjusting well to being the Unit Chief. Then again the other Spencer hasn't let him walk all over him like before. He's learning how to deal with a much more respectable him in the field. Spencer wasn't letting him pull any shit."

"How the hell is he going to pass off a dislocated shoulder at work?"

"I don't know. He was going to make a case for telling the team. Which the only reason I never did was because I didn't want it damaging your career,"

"You are keeping things from me."

"I will tell them to you as soon as Morgan is gone. I don't want you overly emotional in dealing with him. He's going to be enough for all of us."

"And Jack? Where is he going to be?"

"Your apartment."

"I'm ready to go out and eat," Spencer said. He had to brace himself for a Jack he wasn't used to. A Jack that he'd figured out that he did love, only when he was ripped away from him. Aaron helped him stand and finished dressing him. The suit jacket left on the bed but the waistcoat was affixed on his torso. It fit him perfectly, showing off his litheness.

"Your beautiful, Spencer. You always have been but you attract my attention more right now. The way you hold yourself and the look in your eyes. I am happy that I can call you mine."

"What about this?" Spencer asked, his hand going to his neck. It brushed the collar there.

"That's up to you. I can't say I am going to demand it, because it's not mine but you've been living it for six months, Spencer. We can do up your collar and hope he doesn't see it or you can have it visible."

"He'll want to know whose it is."

"When I accepted the job as Section Chief, I made the entirety of the upper brass at the FBI know that a relationship with you had started. Any issues that pop up will be handled by the Section Chief for the Sex Crimes Unit. I can still sign off on everything related to you as long as no one brings up an issue and I do have to say that the other Spencer toed that line. JJ knows about us and I assume from what Spencer said that he said to Morgan, he knows now as well."

Spencer moved towards the door, testing his knee and finding it was doing fine. He felt Aaron at his beck and smiled when the man reached out and pulled him close. Jack was in the middle of the living room on the floor with a book in his lap. The TV was on but the sound was down really low. Spencer took in the changes to the room, subtle but they were there. One of which was a bookshelf that before had had some of Aaron's law books on but now it housed children's books. All for Jack's age. There were even a few shelves of books Spencer knew were his.

"Good morning, Papa."

Spencer stopped dead in his tracks, looking at Jack. His gut clenched and he moved to turn around so that Jack wouldn't see his face. Aaron stopped him from turning around.

"Jack," Aaron said.

"Yes, Dad?"

"Why are you calling Spencer that?"

"Cause it's what the other me calls the other Spencer. Did he finally go home?" Jack looked at them both like they were silly.

"Did the other Spencer talk to you about it?" Spencer asked as he moved to sit down on the couch. Jack scrambled up and into his lap.

"No. I found his journals and read what I could understand of them. I knew something was different, more than he and Daddy were sharing a bed, but I didn't know what and then I watched him print out something one day while he was watching me and I read what he had printed when he was in the shower. I didn't understand a lot of it but I understood enough to know it wasn't a story. He talked a lot about missing his Jack, who called him Papa. I missed you while you were away. I want to call you Papa, can I?"

"Of course." Spencer wrapped his arms around Jack and closed his eyes as he inhaled the scent of him. There was the scent of the sweet from his breakfast clinging to him as well as the scent from Spencer's preferred laundry soap, which was a little shocking. And the lingering scent of baby shampoo from his bath the day before. Spencer memorized that scent and locked it away in his mind as Jack. It was all Jack. His Jack. Spencer opened his eyes and laughed at the sight of the Snorlax bed in the corner by the bookshelf with Jack's books. It was the same one he had bought for the other Jack.

Aaron stayed back as Jack cuddled into Spencer's lap. The boy didn't want down from his lap and was content to stay there. Spencer listened to Aaron as he moved around in the kitchen. There was the sound of the microwave beeping and then the clink of dishes. The older man appeared in his line of sight with a tray that was loaded down with two big bowls and two glasses of orange juice and two coffee cups.

"I made oatmeal for us for breakfast. The other Spencer liked to put warmed maple syrup on his when he wanted a treat and I didn't think until just now that it could be one of the differences that I shouldn't have assumed."

"No, I do like it. Mom used to do it when I was feeling sad. It's probably one of the only things that he ever did that was related to her. They did not have a good relationship." Spencer shifted Jack in his lap so he could at least eat one handed to find the boy asleep.

"He didn't have a good night at all. I'm shocked he didn't end up in bed with us." Aaron laid a hand on Jack's shin and the boy didn't react at all.

"What did you explain to him about the cuffs and chain, and collar?"

"Spencer thought it best to wait for him to ask. He's curious as he's proven with his sneaky reading of the journals. He'll ask at some point and we can discuss beforehand what we want to tell him."

"I feel like a newborn colt who doesn't have his legs under him. Nothing is the same." Spencer ate the oatmeal even though he barely tasted any of it. He drank the orange juice when Aaron handed it over and then the coffee he sipped at while relaxing. It was creeping ever closer to when Morgan was going to get there and Spencer wasn't sure how he was going to handle it at all.

Trying to straighten all the thoughts in his head took Spencer time. He knew that he and Aaron had a lot to discuss but first Morgan had to be dealt with. Then the team.

At eight thirty, Jack was just waking up from his nap when a knock came at the door. Spencer looked at Aaron before he handed the boy over to Aaron and moved to the door. Before Spencer opened it, he made sure the collar was visible. Aaron stood and his steps sounded behind Spencer. Spencer spared a glance and saw that Aaron was taking Jack to his room.

Spencer opened the door and glared at Morgan.

"Where's Hotch?" Morgan's eyes were focused on the collar but he didn't say anything about it.

"He's laying Jack down. Jack had a few nightmares last night."

"Morgan, I thought that Spencer told you not to come before nine?" Aaron asked as he entered the living room again. Spencer watched him set down a baby monitor on the couch right beside where the remnants of breakfast were. Aaron started to clean that up while Spencer finally allowed Morgan into the apartment.

"He can't tell me what to do," Morgan said, glaring at Spencer before stepping past him and looking at Aaron. "I came to talk to you and not him."

"At least he wasn't stupid enough to wear a gun." Spencer didn't look away from Morgan at all.

"How do you know that?" Morgan looked, surprised and a little scared.

"No matter what Spencer Reid I am, I'm not stupid, Derek Morgan." Spencer sat down on the couch as Aaron came back from the kitchen with a cup of coffee in one hand and a bottle of water for Morgan. He set the bottle down in front of the chair that was across from the couch and then sat between Spencer and the arm of the couch, turning Spencer to lean into him. "Your pants sit differently when you wear your back holster and there are no lines on your pant legs from an ankle holster."

"What the hell is going on?" Morgan demanded.

"Haven't I taught you to be more specific? There is a lot going on at the moment." Spencer smiled at him. He could handle Morgan now. It was easy. That bit of him that wanted to always be invisible and not make waves was gone. At least professionally.

"Hotch, he thinks he's from another universe. How are you sure that he hasn't..." Morgan looked at Spencer then. He looked back at Aaron.

"Oh, he thinks I turned schizophrenic. That's kind of cute." Spencer could read Morgan like an open book. He'd seen who the man could have become without that sense of right inside of him. He only shuddered to think what Derek would have become without the other Aaron in his life.

"Morgan, do you remember when Spencer got under Ford's skin?" Aaron asked as he kind of sat up a little more. One of Aaron's arms came around Spencer's waist, teasing just under his waistcoat.

"That's part of all of this. Those marks, those scars. There is no way that he allowed someone to do that to him. We need to protect him."

"You don't understand what a true Dominant/Submissive relationship is like. You've let this job stop you from truly understanding it. There are thousands who live this every single day and what Ford did was a mockery of it, a perversion." Spencer had read about what Ford in the other world had done, what that Aaron had saved Cindi from. Aaron bringing it up gave him confirmation that the other Spencer had done something to catch him. Or something else had happened but the team had helped to catch him.

"So what you decided all of a sudden that you are a submissive? Hotch man listen to him!"

"I have lived this Morgan for six months. The young man that I took home the next morning after the explosion six months ago wasn't our Spencer Reid. I didn't find out until much later but that man was a different Spencer from a different universe."

"Are you telling me that you believe him?" Morgan looked shocked but he relaxed down into the chair and picked up the bottle of water. He looked at Aaron and then at Spencer, back and for a few minutes before he seemed to accept it, at least for the time being.

Spencer stood up, Aaron's hands falling away from him. If Morgan had seen the scars, then he would know that many of them couldn't be faked. So Spencer's flawless skin of his front would at least be a point in their favor of the other Spencer not being the real one.

"You talk about scars. You saw the scars." Spencer started to unbutton his waistcoat and when he was done he worked on the dress shirt. When he was done, he showed Morgan his unmarked skin. "That Spencer Reid had been living with a masochistic Dominant since he was fourteen years old. The relationship didn't turn sexual until after he was eighteen, but he has never been away from him. That explosion at Charlie's lab swapped him and I. I woke up in the bed of the other Spencer's Dominant. The other Spencer woke up in the hospital," Spencer waited for Aaron to nod before he went on "wasn't me. His Dominant made him perfect at manipulation and slipping into any situation and taking advantage. My apartment was all that he needed to assume my life. The interactions after that between him and the team I am sure all of you put off as he was recovering from the explosion. He assumed my life with no issue."

"You really..." Morgan looked at Spencer's chest, no scars, no rune. His whole body slumped down into the chair. "Fuck."

"Yeah, that's what I thought when I finally figured it out," Aaron said.

Spencer started to close up his shirt but Aaron's hands stopped him. He felt his shirt being drug down his shoulders before a hand turned him around. Spencer turned around and let his shirt drop down to his elbows.

"All of those marks that the other Spencer's Dominant made on him, he never made a mark like that on Spencer. This is what he did." Aaron stood up and once Morgan had got a full look, he pulled the shirt up. Spencer didn't react as Aaron buttoned up his clothes and straightened them. He made sure the collar was on display again.

"So what between last night and this morning they swapped back?" Morgan was upset and it was understandable but at least he wasn't so angry anymore. That anger...Derek never had it. Spencer wondered if it was something that the other Aaron had forced him into letting go a long time before.

"I was finally able to recreate the experiment in the other universe and it worked. I woke up in bed, here, back in my world. The other-" Spencer stopped himself.

"The other what? What did the other Spencer do?"

"This Spencer and I had a date set for the next day and then the explosion happened and it was changed from a dinner date out to one at his apartment."

"Date?"

"Aaron and I had been working on it for months, Morgan. Socializing outside of work, it started because of Jack."

"The other Spencer took advantage of that and upped the relationship to a physical one. Six months it took you to catch on. How is your arm?" Aaron asked.

"I popped it back into place and it's better. Just have to take my time with things and I'll be limiting my field work for a while. This is fucked up, Hotch."

"You are telling me. I didn't expect to wake up with a different Spencer in my bed."

"You knew for how long?"

"Around two months but it didn't change anything. Keeping it a secret was best. Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead. What the would have happened? I had to live like I was going to get Spencer back and every move made to put the other Spencer out was a move that would hurt my Spencer."

"So you've lied to us for two months?"

"To protect Spencer, I would do a lot. The brass knows about us, Morgan. The relationship but not anything to do with him not being the real Spencer. When I agreed to take over the Job as Section Chief there was a lot of pressure on me to do so. This Unit has been under a lot of stress with Strauss and how she was managing things. They wanted me because I was a face that the unit knew. After Strauss almost forcing Spencer out of the unit, no one was looking at the upper brass with kind eyes. Out of everyone in the unit, he's done the least amount of stupid shit that would get him in trouble and yet he was singled out because he was the weak point for every single member of the team."

Spencer snorted because he wasn't going to be that anymore, he wasn't going to allow himself to be that anymore. But he knew what Aaron was meaning, anyone on the team would do what they could to help the other and while Spencer had seemed like the best weak point, it had backfired on Strauss.

"That's the majority of the reason that they wanted me as Section Chief. I wouldn't do that or allow it to happen. So plans were made and while on paper, I am over Spencer, if something happens, I would recuse myself from it and the Sex Crimes Unit Section Chief will step in. Right now we are doing a lot of playing by ear but Morgan, there are a lot of reasons that I took this job and while a few of those reasons were because of Spencer, the majority of them were to protect the team. Just like when I stepped down during Foyet and put you in as acting Unit Chief."

"This is...was he really that good?"

"Morgan, I spent a great deal of time with him in the three months after the explosion and didn't start to put it together. He was damned good at what he did and I think that if I hadn't already started a relationship with Spencer before the other Spencer came here, I never would have known. Tomorrow we are going to have the team over for a lunch and discuss all of this, in better detail. Take the night, think about it and then tomorrow you can grill us better."

"I need to get used to being back right now Morgan and I have missed you. I'm sorry for what my counterpart did."

"No, I egged him on. I was so damned pissed and upset. I could have stepped back and stopped it at any point but I was so blinded by anger. He sounds like he was a very different Spencer and I can see why he was acting a little different. I just thought that he was slipping into schizophrenia and needed help." Morgan looked at Spencer and there was something else there in his eyes. Something that he was ashamed of. Spencer looked at him, looking at his body language and his eyes. He was more than happy that Spencer wasn't crazy. He was relieved and it was more than just being happy, he was downright jubilant that Spencer wasn't crazy, or that Spencer wasn't doing something else.

"You thought that I might have gone back on Dilaudid."

Morgan looked ashamed at that.

"You were acting different and while it was slow, it was there and at first it was all I could think about and then you are at the edge of the age for schizophrenia to show up. Then I noticed that you-he was keeping secrets. This is so confusing."

"I know, it's okay." Spencer leaned forward on the couch and Morgan just sighed.

"I think that I need to just go home and think. Text me when lunch is tomorrow. I'll be here, not angry."

Morgan shoved himself up and out of the chair. He set the unopened bottle of water down on the table. Spencer was going to stand to see him out but a little body slipping into his lap stopped that from happening. Jack cuddled down into him and Spencer knew he wasn't going to get up. Aaron slipped out from behind him and ruffled Jack's hair before he showed Morgan out.

"That went better than I thought," Spencer called out when the door shutting sounded.

"It really did. Tomorrow is going to be bad."

"I'll call Jessica and have her come over in the morning. Does that sound fun Jack you and Jessica having lunch together?"

"Why?"

"Well, Spencer and I need to talk to the team and it might get really loud and I don't want you to hear everything because well Uncle Derek has a really foul mouth," Aaron said with a smile on his face.

"Aunt Penny threatened to wash his mouth out with soap once."

"Yes, she did. It's just adult stuff, Jack."

Spencer hoped that Jack wouldn't be upset.

"I'm hungry again," Jack said.

"It's not time for lunch yet but I think that I some oatmeal left. Why don't you go and get settled at the table?" Aaron asked.

Jack slipped out of Spencer's lap and moved into the kitchen. Spencer stayed where he was on the couch and tried to figure out if he really wanted to get it all out there, the relationship that had formed when he wasn't even around, to the fact that he had changed so much. His relationship with Aaron, no matter what it was, was personal. He really needed to get over and read the journals left for him. He needed to understand everything but he didn't want to leave right then because he wasn't sure that Jack would like it. He'd known before he'd been jerked away that Jack had adored him and was attached but to come back and find that the boy was even more attached, it was making his head spin.

Spencer made mental plans to head over to his apartment and read the journals after lunch. He looked back at Aaron who was setting a bowl down in front of Jack before looking up like he'd known that Spencer was looking at him. He'd fought to get back, even when he started to loose hope, but what did he come back to?

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer walked out to the dining room with confidence. He was home and after the round of morning sex with Aaron felt more settled in his own skin than he had over the last six months. He still had some residual pain from the night before, and it felt delicious.

Derek and Charlie were there and Spencer noticed a different air surrounding Derek. He wasn’t sure what it was, but he would have the patience to find out. Jack looked like he was finishing up his breakfast, and JJ was at the other end of the table. She smiled softly at him as he moved to the buffet and served himself. He didn’t say anything yet, and there was an air of anticipation. He walked back to the table with plate and coffee in hand, set them down and turned to look at everyone.

“Yes, it’s me. The experiment worked.”

“Oh thank God.” Charlie let out an exaggerated sigh as he stood and moved in front of Spencer. “Good morning Dr. Reid, my name is Charles Epps.”

Spencer smiled. He had heard of Dr. Epps and had read many of his published articles on Maths and Physics. Then one day he just seemed to disappear. Spencer wanted the whole story, but he would wait till he could talk privately with each person separately.

“Dr. Epps. It is very good to meet you. I don’t want to go into everything yet, let’s just have breakfast, then we’ll go into the library.”

“I understand. This has to be a little overwhelming for you.”

Spencer had been overwhelmed, in the other reality, but here, here he knew his place and it was easy to slide right back into his life. He shivered a little when he felt Aaron move to stand next to him and laid a hand on his lower back.

“We’ll eat, then we’ll talk,” Aaron said as he moved away to serve himself.

The table was quiet as everyone ate. Spencer could almost feel their questions, but they were all patient enough to wait for him. When he was done and had a second cup of coffee in front of him he looked around the table.

“I’d rather talk to each one of you individually. I don’t want to do this as a group.”

“Whatever you want, Spence, you know we’ll follow your lead.” JJ smiled at him and his heart ached for her. He didn’t know what he was going to say to her, the JJ in the other world was so different. It also made him think of little Henry, and that was an ache he knew he needed to bury.

It took most of the day to speak with each person individually in the house. The longest time was the time he spent with Charlie and Derek. Spencer couldn’t help being surprised at the relationship, but somehow it worked. He avoided JJ. He normally wasn’t any kind of coward, but he couldn’t face her yet. He needed some time to get the little boy out of his head.

Spencer went to his office and took a couple of hours to look through the computer notes that were left for him. The papers and other work that his counterpart had done were laid out in binders on a shelf behind his desk where he kept the things he needed to get to quickly. As he was going through his things, he noticed the broken lock on the cabinet in the very corner. Lifting his brow he opened it and saw a note had been left, apologizing for the broken lock, then an explanation of why it was broken. Spencer couldn’t blame the other Spencer. To be able to handle Aaron, one had to know everything. Setting everything to rights, Spencer was ready for his final talk.

Standing up he let a smile grace his lips as he walked downstairs to the basement area. When he found himself in front of Gideon’s cell he bit his lip with the anticipation he felt. He didn’t even know he was going to come down till he was actually down there. Now that he was, he couldn’t wait.

Punching in the code, Spencer slipped inside the cell and let his eyes take in the man on the bed.

“I think you can already guess that I’m not the other Spencer.” He let his hand skim the top of the bed, then drop down onto Gideon’s leg. Spencer could smell the fresh soap smell and knew the nurse that Aaron paid very handsomely to take care of Gideon had been there.

“You’re Aaron’s Pet. So, the experiment finally worked.” Spencer walked around the bed and let his hand glide over Gideon, thoughts of what he had done to the other Gideon flooded his mind and he shivered just slightly.

“Oh yes. The one you tried to lie to about Aaron.” Spencer stopped at the opposite side then kneed up on the bed and straddled Gideon’s waist. “I never did pay you back for what you tried to do. I know it’s petty on my part to hold a grudge, but you are a special case.”

Spencer closed his eyes a moment and felt the mild erection that Gideon was sporting. He narrowed his eyes at the man.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, now Gideon. I might think that there was more to you wanting me away from Aaron than just wanting to try to ‘save’ me. I figured out pretty quickly that your counterpart was in love with Spencer. I found a journal in his cabin, one I burned later because Spencer didn’t need to see it. It detailed dreams, fantasies really. Did you want me, Jason?” Spencer sneered at the man under him as he took off his shirt. He had taken off the gauze earlier because the cuts had closed. They were shallow, but would still leave thin, faint scars. He ran his fingers over his chest as he looked Gideon in the eye.

The shallow breath, the feel of the man under him Spencer knew.  
“Did you want to do this to me?” He gripped one of Gideon’s hands in his and made him touch. “Aaron gave me new marks yesterday, aren’t they perfect?” Spencer preened as he stared down at Gideon.

“Spencer, please.” Gideon was shaking with fear in his eyes and Spencer took it in, relished it.

“Please what? Leave you alone? But I don’t want to. I like playing with you.” Spencer leaned down so his lips were close to Gideon’s ear. “Do you want to know what I did to him? To the other you? I could tell you in excruciating detail how I killed him.” Spencer sucked in a breath then slowly let it out. Then, he whispered everything he had done to Gideon. Everything he said, the way he had killed him, and how he left the man there, bleeding, dying. When he sat up he looked down in his Gideon’s face and saw his eyes closed, a pained expression on his face.

“I did it because, well Aaron didn’t want me to kill you. I would have, for him I would kill you in an instant. You hurt him, betrayed him and tried to lie to me about him. Aaron maybe a psychopath, but there is one thing he is above everything, he is brutally honest with me. He knows never to lie to me. I am what he made me, and I like, very much, who I am.” Spencer got up off of Gideon and smiled down at him. “Besides, I’d make you suffer for days before I killed you. The other one, I did it for that Spencer. I wasn’t going to see him hurt, and I know he had plans to try to reconnect, to try to get his Gideon back into his life, and I just couldn’t allow that. I know Aaron made him stronger. Oh, he’ll flounder for a bit, but he’ll find his strength again, and when he does, no one is going to be prepared for him, not even Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner.”

Spencer smiled, stood and straightened himself out. He left Gideon there, knowing he had no control over what happened to him. If Aaron had left it up to him, the man would already be dead, but even he could appreciate the long suffering that Aaron was putting him through. Spencer left the basement knowing he most likely would never be back.

* * *

Spencer avoided JJ for weeks now. In that time, though, he had slipped easily back into his old life. Aaron kept watching him, and Spencer wasn’t sure why. He knew they had to talk, he wanted all of those things that were the other Spencer’s gone from their room. He was keeping the shoes, he had gotten rather fond of them, and he even started to hunt for special editions he was interested in himself.

Their caseload ramped up, Aaron had taken a couple of high profile cases, and as usual a few of the custody cases. They had not had a chance to discuss much of anything, both of them being tired when they got home from work. Even their sex life had waned a bit, which wasn’t unusual when they had this type of heavy work. But, what was upsetting Spencer was the way Aaron would sometimes linger over the box of collars, or pick up some trinket that was his doppelgangers. It was now several weeks, and Aaron still seemed to be pining for the other Spencer. It all came to a head one weekend that Jack was, thankfully, out with Dave at his cabin fishing and doing a little hunting.

Spencer wasn’t even mad about the lack of sex or even play. They got a couple of days each week, even if it was a quick session. But, it was the lack of just being together. He would suggest going out to one of their favorite places, and Aaron would say he was busy. Or, he even suggested going to the club, but Aaron would be too tired or didn’t want to make the effort of getting dressed to go. There were other things, and it had gone on for way too long now. Spencer was getting pissed off, he wanted his Aaron back. He hadn’t suffered and hung on in his suffering in the other world to come back to this closed off Aaron.

Things had to change, and they had to change fast. If not, Spencer knew he would do something drastic to get his lover back. Even he was afraid of what that would entail. He knew he was courting punishment from his Dom, but he knew being aggressive was the only thing at this point that was going to get through to Aaron.

Spencer had taken his time in the shower, then came out to see Aaron standing at the dresser again. He had, had it, and he was going to confront Aaron about it once and for all.

“You know I gave you time to grieve, to let go, because I know you, Aaron. I knew that a part of you would fall for him because he was innocent, and I know how you like taking apart the innocent. But, I thought you would have let go by now. You say you’re happy I’m home again, and I read in the journal where you punished him for wanting to stop the experiments, yet you aren’t acting like you’re happy I’m home.” Spencer glared at him, with his arms crossed over his chest.

“Are you questioning me?” Aaron turned and narrowed his eyes at Spencer.

“Yes! For god's sakes, you keep looking at, or in that damn box, or one of these trinkets that are his. He isn’t coming back Aaron, but I’m home. I’m right here, and yet you’re just….”

“Just what, Pet.” The dangerous tone in Aaron’s voice didn’t have Spencer backing down, in fact, he stood toe to toe with him, daring him.

“You act like you’re more in love with him than you are with me. I’m right fucking here, I held on for you. I didn’t let myself fall in love with the other you because I couldn’t. You are the man I love, you are the man I would burn everything to the ground for. But, here you are pining.” Spencer spat, his eyes going cold and angry.

Aaron’s hand shot out and grabbed Spencer around the throat and squeezed. Spencer didn’t struggle, he had once watched Aaron snap a man’s neck with his strength. Many underestimated him and his lean body. What people didn’t understand was there was a strength of steel under that charismatic veneer. But, for the first time ever, Spencer was afraid.

“Do not test me.” The cold, hard eyes had never been trained on him. Spencer’s heart raced, but he knew he couldn’t back down, he need his Aaron back, completely and totally his.

“Or what? I know you won’t kill me, Aaron...Sir, I need you back. I need YOU back.”

Aaron was breathing heavy, and Spencer could see the internal debate going on in the man’s head. He could never hide his emotions from Spencer.

“Then tell me what that mark is on your thigh, and don’t lie to me, Spencer. You know that I will know if you are.”

Spencer tried to swallow around the hand on his throat.

“Aaron figured out who I was. Took him long enough, almost three months. He wanted sex, and I was trying to do everything I could to stop the drop I was falling into. He did that while I was restrained. I didn’t want it, I swear, Sir, I didn’t know what he was going to do. When he did it, I freaked out enough that I passed out.”

Aaron cocked his head to the side and pulled Spencer to him, close.

“That taints you. Makes you part his. I want it gone.”

Spencer closed his eyes and shook in Aaron’s grip.

“Yes. Yes, Aaron anything.”

“I should punish you for questioning me.” Aaron let him go, but he curled his finger in the ring hanging from Spencer’s collar. He pulled him to the cabinet then unlocked it.

“Strip.” Spencer’s fingers shook as he tried to open his shirt. He wasn’t going to beg, he knew it wouldn’t work. He had never given Aaron cause to punish him except for the one time, and he didn’t want to think about that time. After his punishment was over, he knew he would do anything for Aaron to not have it happen again. He knew what he had been doing when he confronted Aaron, now, he just hoped he got through it in one piece.

“Hurry up Pet.”

Spencer stripped as fast as he could and stood there naked and waiting. Aaron pulled out a chastity cage that had Spencer’s eyes widening. Aaron slipped it on and wrapped the ring around his balls and pressed it back, then tightened it. The cage locked, and Spencer was worried for the first time in a very long time.

“We are going to be spending all day in the playroom.” The leash attached to his collar, then Aaron attached a spreader bar and cuffs to his wrists. After wrapping a robe around him, Aaron led him to the playroom.

“Sir?” Spencer asked, but Aaron didn’t respond. When they got to the room, Spencer was made to lay on the table. His arms lifted by the bar and a hook was fastened in the middle holding his arms up. Aaron then did the same to his legs. Leads were then inserted into the sides of the cock cage and a Tensive Unit attached.

“Who do you belong to Spencer?” Aaron asked as he sat in one of the comfortable chairs he had pulled over next to the table.

“You, Sir.” Spencer shook with fear as he watched Aaron, not sure what he was going to do. When he turned on the Tens Unit remotely, Spencer jerked on the table but held in a scream.

“You’re right, Pet. But I wasn’t pining,” Aaron bit out as he pressed the remote again. “I was grieving. I am allowed to grieve the loss of someone, am I not?”

“Ye...yes Sir.” Spencer breathed hard through the pain that shot through his groin.

“And will you question me like that again?”

“N...no.”

“A part of me wants to be angry at you, but this punishment is about you questioning me. Questioning how I feel about you. You should know by now, Spencer, that I would do anything for you.”

“Yes, Sir. I know you do.”

Aaron knew Spencer was sincere, but he wanted his lover to understand he was in charge. He set-up the Tens Unit to cycle through randomly. It would give Spencer a period of rest, then cycle through the electrical pulses that went right through his penis.

Standing, he left Spencer alone, then went to their bedroom. He had things to take care of, then, after Spencer’s punishment was over, they would talk. The talk they should have had weeks ago the two of them had been putting off.

Two hours later, Aaron came back down and noticed that Spencer had passed out. He almost, not quite, but almost felt sorry that he had used such a severe punishment. Carefully he released Spencer, and his lover whined as his legs and arms were released. He then carefully removed the cock cage. Aaron helped Spencer to sit up, wrapped the robe around him, then picked him up in his arms. Even he had his limits, he knew Spencer didn’t deserve an all day punishment when the only thing he really did was made him confront himself on losing the other Spencer.

When he stepped into the tub with Spencer in his arms, the younger man whimpered slightly.

“Shh,” Aaron held the man curled in his lap close to him. His fingers traced the rune over Spencer’s heart. It had become a habit over the last few weeks that his Pet had been home. Closing his eyes he bussed a kiss on Spencer’s temple. “You’re right. I haven’t been myself. When he first showed up, it threw my world Pet. And, again you’re right, he was...innocent, but far from naive. I did, and I think a part of me always will love him, but I’ve come to realize it was idealized. I saw what you would have been with a different mother, a different set of circumstances and it was...intoxicating. But he could never be what you are Pet. He could never truly be my everything.” Aaron cupped Spencer’s chin and made him look up. A wry smile crossed Aaron’s lip as he bent his head and kissed him. “The things you do, for me, he could never do. He’s too steeped in his morals.”

Spencer took a deep breath and just enjoyed being wrapped in Aaron’s arms.

“I love you, Aaron.” Spencer shuddered in Aaron’s arms as he settled more. “I’m not going anywhere ever again.”

That was the crux of the issue. Aaron feared losing him again and sitting there in the bath Spencer realized that fear was what had been keeping Aaron at arms distance. He felt strong arms holding him even closer to him and melted against his lover.

“I know, and I know I haven’t been myself around you, I’m sorry love.”

“This wasn’t easy for any of us. I missed you so much.”

Aaron pet his hair and ran one hand over his warmed skin. He shivered slightly as he relaxed even more.

“Why don’t we wrap up things at work then take a few weeks at the Villa in Spain. We’ll take JJ and Jack with us. She can help with Jack and also sort through all of the invites we’ll inevitably receive once we arrive.” Aaron held Spencer close, as he let go even more of the feelings he had for the other Spencer. He knew he had not treated his love very well in the time he had been back. Aaron had been thrown, then adapted, and now he had been thrown again. He did not lie to Spencer, he was glad to have his lover back, now he just had to reassure Spencer he really had let go, the evidence of that was in the bedroom. He had put all of the other Spencer’s things in a box and placed it in his closet. He had not wanted to get rid of everything completely, but he was not going to be consumed by it anymore.

“Yes, I think we need it, Aaron.”

“We’ll invite Jackson.” Spencer nodded as he snuggled more against Aaron.

“I watched you with Jason. Tell me what you did. I want to know all of it.”

Spencer turned in Aaron’s arms and carefully relayed everything he had done in the other world. Aaron didn’t look shocked, not till he started to talk about Strauss and her family.

“Spencer! They were innocents, you know our rules. No children.”

“I know that Aaron,” Spencer shouted as the full reality of what he had done, that he took the lives of children for his own revenge, hit him full force. “Oh fuck.” The panic attack came fast and hard, but Aaron was there, talking him through it. He didn’t have them often, usually only during a flashback or nightmare. “Oh fuck, fuckfuckfuck..” Spencer kept saying over and over as he tried to bury his head against Aaron’s strong chest.

“It’s done now, and you have to live with the decisions you made Spencer. I’ll be here, I’ll help you through it, but you have to face it.”

Closing his eyes he tried hard not to see their faces. He never saw the faces of those he killed, because it never mattered. They were playthings, mostly to get information, but sometimes...sometimes he killed because he wanted to. The waitress that had flirted too heavily with Aaron and wouldn’t take no for an answer. The Sub that had kept following Aaron around the club every time they went. The woman that was naked and lounging on Aaron’s office chair, who had tried to use sex to get custody of her children from a good man. There were more, but never, ever children. Spencer knew he was different, knew even his psychosis was different in that he had no want to kill animals, set fires, or hurt children. He actually loved kids, their minds were so open and malleable. He thought of the teens he had mentored over the years and knew it would hurt if any of them had gotten hurt. He felt the panic moving through him, shutting him down, and all he saw were the faces from photographs on Straus’s desk. He knew then they would haunt his dreams for weeks to come, maybe even for the rest of his life.

* * *

“Spence, I think we need to talk,” JJ came into his office without even knocking. He was working on some paperwork at home, he hadn’t wanted to go into the office that day, he was still reeling from the knowledge of what he had done. Which made him avoid JJ even more.

He set his pen down but didn’t look up at her. In fact, he looked towards the wall to her left and behind her, not making eye contact with her.

“Spence, what happened over there that you don’t want to even look at me? You know you can tell me anything, right?” JJ walked around the desk and grabbed his chair and turned him around. She leaned down and looked right into his eyes. “Tell me.”

“I don’t want to hurt you Jayje.”

“But you’re hurting us. You know you’re like my little brother, now tell me.”

Spencer gently grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. He laid his head against her chest, more for the comfort than anything else.

“It’s Henry. He lived in that other world. And he was beautiful and wonderful. He looked a lot like you JJ. Blond, but he had blue eyes like you do, he asked a million questions, and he and Jack were the best of friends.” Spencer couldn’t help the tears that sprang to his eyes.

“Oh, Spence. You loved him didn’t you?”

Spencer nodded and JJ just held him tighter.

“I’m sorry Spence. I wish I could say it doesn’t hurt because it does. But, I’m glad you told me.” JJ wrapped her arms around him and just held onto him.

"I tried so hard to not love anyone. I knew that Jack if he existed, would be impossible not to fall in love with but Henry. He loved his uncle, so much. And the others, they never even gave the other Spencer a chance to grow out of the hole they shoved him in. I stupidly said I'd watch him, as a way to prove that I, and by extension, the other Spencer wasn't a failure at kids. He didn't even have to worm his way in. He was bright and loving and so much like you. He-" Spencer stopped. He wasn't going to give JJ that pain.

"Tell me, Spence." JJ started to card her fingers through his hair. She was the only one that ever got away with that from both Spencer and Aaron.

"He was so trusting in me. Jack's always been that way but seeing it in another kid. We were playing that first night and he went running and jumped off the arm of the couch, trusting that I wasn't going to let him fall. He even made me like his father."

"I know that Aaron sent you to take care of him. I never looked up what happened or had Penny look for him."

"He hurt you. No one is allowed to hurt you," Spencer said. He thought back to the satisfaction he'd felt as he had slipped the knife up under the man's rib cage. He had missed his heart on purpose, nicking his lung instead. The man had died coughing up his own blood. A little destruction to the room and a few kicks from the knife and a few bruises before he had actually died and it was meant to look like a scuffle had happened. Given that he had been looking into the seedier people at the motel he was staying at for a case, and one of the drug runners who stayed there was found with the knife in his bag, it had been an open and shut case with no one else looked at.

"Why would anyone dare to, with you and Aaron at my back? Did Aaron tell you that while you were gone one of the pimps that their pros service the Senators jumped a guy who was going to mug me? He beat the shit out of him and helped to right my clothes, picked up my purse. I'm untouchable, even to men like that who only see women as things."

"They see you as his, and he has shown what he will do who those who mess with his things."

"Are we good, Spencer? No more hiding? No more trying to be anywhere but where I am?"

"Yes." Spencer leaned a little more into JJ's chest, seeking comfort. JJ though only allowed it for a few seconds before she pushed his head away to where she could kiss his forehead, wiping at the lipstick left behind.

"I want..." JJ bit at her lip and looked unsure of herself. "Can you draw me a picture of him? Of him laughing?"

"Sure. I'll order some of those special charcoals that you love my drawings with. We can frame it and put it in your room."

"Big like that one of the sea of carnations you did for the east hallway?"

"I can do that. I'll have to order in the paper of that size but I can have it in a week and have something mocked up before it gets here."

"Thank you, Spence." JJ slid off his lap and moved out of the room, not looking back. Spencer tried to settle himself but the thought of Henry, perfect little Henry had brought up the want of a child in him again. He knew he needed to talk to Aaron about it and soon.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer let himself into his apartment, Aaron had told him the code for the alarm even though it was one that Spencer would have used if he had been the one to set it up. He didn't look at the room as he turned off the alarm. The apartment was the same size as Aaron's so he by himself had a lot of room. There was a little bit of clutter on the coffee table that looked like an assignment, given the books and notepad laying there as well. He moved over and found that it was an assignment for a class that wasn't due for at least two months. Spencer gathered the items up and looked around for the room that the other Spencer had put his office in. He found it and set the items on the desk. He found the journals with typed entries on a bookshelf but ignored them as he looked for everything to do with schoolwork.

There was a lot of information on degrees and things on a notepad that was beside the monitor for the computer. A list of ones that the other Spencer felt he should have as well as ones he should do just for fun as well as ways to get around having to be in class. Everything that had been done for each class that the other Spencer had either enrolled in or finished while Spencer had been gone was in a separate three-ring binder. Spencer sat down in the office chair and went through each class. He found that the other Spencer had upped his thesis on his master's and had finished it as well as moved onto the Ph.D. portion of it. The sign in information for the online classes was on a list in the front of each folder as Spencer found that he was enrolled in three different classes at three different schools, besides his Ph.D. work. He was glad for it all. There was a handwritten note on the last of the school work folders that said that his secretary was the contact that the schools had for him in case him needing contacting.

Spencer had a secretary. He was still a little shocked about that. Spencer booted up the computer and when it was ready he searched out all the information on the Grimes Tech project he'd been signed onto. He found all the information on Jackson Grimes as well. Spencer had known of the man but they didn't run in the same circles. He tried to figure out how Jackson had got onto him and found no link.

There was little changed on his home computer even though it had been upgraded. He figured that the machine might not even been released for public use. The tablet that had been in Aaron's bedroom hadn't been a cheap thing. Spencer found the digital files for everything related to school and even played around learning about the new schools that he was going to. While a lot of what the other Spencer had done in his personal life was heavy handed, Spencer understood why he had done a lot of it. He was upset that he'd never get to meet the man, even just to talk.

Regret wasn't something that Spencer was ever used to feeling, even before he didn't regret things that he did or didn't do in his life. His mind really didn't allow it. He'd never regret the swap that took him out of his life and dropped him into a new one because it changed him greatly. He was sure that the bad would come with the good.

Spencer's phone chirped and he looked to see that it was from JJ. He opened up his text messaging app and found a picture of Henry cuddled down in bed with a blanket wrapped around him and a teddy bear clutched to his chest. What Spencer could see of the bear was that he had glasses. Spencer touched his own face, where he used to wear glasses. In even the short time since he'd had the surgery to correct his eyesight, the indents on his nose disappeared. He didn't miss them or contacts.

_Henry loves this bear. Calls him Pen. Will got it for him this morning._

Spencer texted her back cooing over the image. He set the phone down and remembered the other JJ, no Will, and no Henry. Will had been killed on the job after he'd left JJ after losing Henry while he was still in the womb. Every single person inside of the other Aaron's household was broken in some way and Aaron had built them back up. He'd built them up the way that benefited him the most.

Grabbing a notepad, Spencer started to write down the next paper he wanted to do for the psychology community. Stockholm Syndrome and its ability to seem right when there is no other option. He wrote down a few points and a little research he'd have to do but the majority of the paper had been wrote inside his own head over the past six months. He'd just have to try and find a few cases that would show he was right in this world. He also made a note that his next degree he wanted to pursue was a degree in sexuality. He wanted to understand himself better and his new look on his own life and his own sexuality.

Spencer looked at the printed, bound journals and knew that he couldn't put it off any longer. He found the journals were labeled and in a perfect chronological order. He grabbed the whole stack of them and moved into the living room, setting them down before he went to make coffee. His kitchen was laid out closer to how the much larger kitchen in the mansion had been. He didn't mind it as he'd never really cared where things were before. Before he'd joined the BAU he'd had a few plates and a few bits of silverware, enough for him as he didn't have people over. After he'd joined the BAU he'd got enough plates that if something ever happened and the team came over he'd have enough matching plates, bowls and other various materials for eating. After Will and then Henry were added, Spencer had given those away and bought a new matching set that had twelve of everything. It had always looked wrong to see his cabinets that no one used but he hadn't wanted to seem weird to not have something that was so normal.

The coffee maker was new and very expensive and again a match to what was in the other Spencer's office in both the home and at the law firm. Spencer found the brand that he'd found he liked in the various bits for the machine and made himself a cup before prepping another set for quicker making. He moved back into the living room area and ensconced himself in the reading chair in the corner. It was from his old apartment and he was glad that it was there. It seemed that the furniture had been kept in the move. There were a few new books on the shelves and one caught his eye as one that he'd been looking for. Spencer moved to it and opened it up. It was in perfect condition.

_Doctor Reid,_

_This is for accepting my job offer and helping me hopefully make the world a better place._

_Jackson Grimes_

Spencer stared at it. He found the certificate of authenticity in the back of the book. This wasn't just a good edition of the book but a first edition. It was a gift from Jackson for taking the job offer. Spencer slipped the book back and vowed to read that as soon as he could. He knew that he couldn't put off the journals any longer. He sat back down and grabbed the first one. It was printed on normal copy paper and the font was smaller but not so small that it was hard to read. He wasn't shocked to figure out that it was double sided and each book covered roughly a month. There was a lot of information in between the covers of the binders. He resisted reading until he made a vow to himself that he wasn't going to stop until he was done. He wasn't going to try and get more information from Aaron until every single word had been read.

A knock at the door stopped Spencer as his eyes fell over the first sentence.

Aaron was standing right there when Spencer opened the door.

"I wanted to..." Aaron looked down the hallway before kind of pushing past Spencer and entering the room. "Jack is engrossed in the TV and he knows to call if he wants me but have you started to read the journals?"

"No. I was just getting ready to start."

"There are...a few things I want to tell you before you read them in his words if he even cared to actually put them into the journals."

"Okay." Spencer sat back down and Aaron shut and locked the door.

"Strauss wasn't the only person to die. Hers was an alcohol related death. She drank so much that she got depressed and killed herself. There were a suicide and a health related death."

"Okay." Spencer felt like he was trying to wring blood out of a turnip. Aaron looked nervous and Spencer wondered exactly why he was so upset. "Aaron, you either start talking or I start reading."

"Gideon killed himself."

Spencer looked at Aaron and hoped that he was joking but the longer he looked at the man the more he realized that he wasn't. Gideon really had killed himself. If Spencer hadn't been sitting down, he probably would have fallen as his knees felt weak. He closed his eyes because he wasn't liking visual input at the moment. He tried to breathe steadily but he knew that he wasn't when he felt Aaron crouch down in front of him and wrap his hands around Spencer's, forcing them to relax so he could link their hands.

"How?"

"It was...that damned Japanese embowelment thing."

"Seppuku."

"Yes. He was found in his cabin two weeks after he did it. He'd bought the dagger a few weeks before. There was no food in the cabin and it was all neat. The team that went, because Strauss kept us from it, concluded that he'd been planning it a while. There wasn't a lot of testing that could be done but there was no sign that someone else did it. There was no foul play at all."

"He's gone?" Spencer asked. He'd made his peace with Gideon while in the other world but he'd hoped to be able to confront the man before he finally said his goodbyes to him. Gideon was already gone from his heart and it didn't hurt but he hadn't ever expected Gideon to kill himself.

"He is."

"Who else?" If Gideon was the lighter news, Spencer wondered who was next. Who had died due to health related issues?

"The other Spencer was informed a few weeks after the fact that William Reid died in his sleep from a heart attack."

"Heart attack?"

"He was late for work and when his boss couldn't get a hold of him, he sent a coworker to him. When there was no answer and his car was in the drive, they called the cops and had them break in. He was found asleep in his bed with his cat in the bed with him."

"That's...damn." Spencer wasn't sure what to feel about that. He had assumed that he'd come home to find William Reid dead but by something different than a heart attack. A car accident or even a former client killing him. The other Spencer should have killed him. Spencer had profiled that from the moment that he found out that the other Spencer had killed his father in his world.

"I need to read the journals, Aaron. You can either sit there or go back to your place but once I start, don't stop me. Don't interrupt me, unless the building is on fire."

Aaron sat down on the couch, at the closest point to Spencer. Sitting on the table there was a book and Aaron picked it up, opening it to the bookmarked page and started to read. Spencer watched him for several minutes before he took to his own reading. Getting back into the chair and getting comfortable, Spencer cracked open the first journal again. He read every single word that the other Spencer wrote. Six binders full of words that were so close his own style of writing.

The differences were easy to understand. The other Spencer was used to writing for cases from a lawyer point of view and not from a cop point of view. But it was his writing. It was his life, laid out wrote by another man.

Spencer stared at the last page that was in a code. The page was worn like it had been swapped from binder to binder. Spencer stared at it while he tried to figure it out. When it came to him, Spencer ripped the page out of the book and moved to the desktop computer in the office. He sat down and brought up the modified search function that the paper told him to. He typed the filename and a hidden file appeared on the desktop.

As the words inside the file washed over his brain, Spencer wanted to puke. The list of deaths at the hands of the other Spencer, starting with the ones who had helped keep Cindi in captivity. Then moving onto Gideon and William, Strauss and her entire family. It was his death list. Every single person that the other Spencer had killed that hadn't been in the line of duty. There was something though that bothered Spencer. He moved back to the living room and found the volume that he wanted and read through a page. John had visited him. Addicts knew addicts and there was no way that John had left without some kind of suspicion. Spencer needed to talk to him and make sure that he understood that it was all good without revealing that he hadn't been him.

Spencer erased that file and made sure that it could never be recovered. Jackson had left a program on the computer for just that. Spencer moved into the living room so that he and Aaron could talk. The man was still reading his book but the binder had been disturbed some that Spencer had left on the stand by his reading chair.

"It took you months to figure out that it wasn't me?" Spencer asked as he sat down in the reading chair. Aaron set his book aside and focused on him.

"Yes."

"What tipped you off?"

"How he was in Atlantic City. Especially with Jackson Grimes. There was something off and I started to watch more and more and things weren't fitting. I read through some of the journals then but not all the way. Enough to realize that you hadn't gone crazy and it all fit. What is that quote, 'when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth' from Sherlock Holmes? I should have known that the scars felt wrong. You would have told me about them before that night, the first time that he and I had sex. He acted like there was nothing wrong with the scars being there and there wasn't but it was more that it wasn't something that I knew."

"So three months. The Aaron knew instantly. I think before he realized that I wasn't marked. He never admitted to that but he never treated me like his Spencer." Spencer looked at Aaron trying to figure out if he knew about the deaths at the other Spencer's hands. Aaron wouldn't have touched him if he had so it was another pissed Spencer off. "You loved him as me for three months, how long did it take for you to fall in love with him?"

Aaron blustered for a few seconds before he got mad. He shot up off of the couch he was on and moved closer to Spencer. That anger at one point would have scared him, would have made him stop but not now.

"You fell in love with the other Aaron, Spencer. I saw the flush of your face in the shower that had nothing to do with the heat or arousal."

"You've not answered my question, Aaron."

Aaron's mouth was set in a firm line and Spencer knew he wasn't going to get that answer out of him. So he decided to change tactics.

"After he revealed, I'm sorry you confronted him, did he tell you everything?"

"What the hell do you mean?" Aaron asked. He was upset. At what, Spencer wasn't sure. He tried to think of it and the man wasn't helping, playing everything so close to the vest.

"Did he tell you everything he did when you two weren't together? What happened on his trip to Chicago? After the team left?"

"He gambled. He told me that before I knew who he was."

Spencer realized then how Haley was able to cheat on him and he never noticed, or if he did notice, he didn't do anything. He'd rather that things stayed happy even if he wasn't. He knew something was up but he didn't push it. It was how he had gone so long before figuring it out. It all hit a point of too much and he had to face it.

"You pathetic cock whipped man." Spencer wasn't sure what reaction he was going to get for his words but Aaron just leaning over and trapping him in the chair wasn't it. Spencer locked eyes with him, not looking away, not blinking. He wasn't weak, he'd never truly been weak, just hadn't had the chance to actually know how strong he was.

"Say that again," Aaron's voice was low and dangerous but Spencer wasn't scared.

"I said that you are a pathetic cock whipped man. You let him lead you around by your cock and never even questioned it. He blinded you to what he truly was."

"You can't fucking hold a thing against me, Spencer. You fell in love with that other Aaron." Aaron was pissed and Spencer knew it but he didn't care. He couldn't believe that Aaron was so stupid. Spencer pushed up out of the chair and Aaron only backed up enough to let him up.

"At least I know what I fell in love with," Spencer sneered at Aaron. He'd paid for not really letting himself see what he had fallen in love with at first but in the end, he knew exactly who he had fallen in love with. He had loved the other Aaron despite the flaws but this Aaron. It was going to take time for him to love him like he had before he left.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Those journals that you read?" Spencer said, pointing at the printed out journals. "You said you hadn't read about anything after you found out the truth but there was enough there for you to see him for who he was but you let love blind you.

"Yes?" Aaron was getting impatient and Spencer didn't care. He'd let Haley manipulate him and then turned around and let the other Spencer do it as well.

"That's not all that he left me. You are fucking naive."

"What the hell does that mean?" Aaron's hand settled around Spencer's bicep not letting him move away.

"Those men who were connected to Nathan Ford that died? He killed them. He killed William. He killed Gideon. He killed Strauss and her husband and her kids." Spencer stopped to take a breath and to figure out if he wanted to admit to the rest. What his counterpart had done. "He killed my Sponsor, Aaron because the man came to see him after Gideon and William's death and he knew that he hadn't fooled him. He didn't admit to that killing but I read between the lines. He killed the men from the Company because they tainted the lifestyle that he lived and they destroyed lives. I couldn't give a fuck about those deaths. He killed William Reid because he hates that man so much and he didn't like living in a world with him. He killed Gideon for his own personal reasons but the on paper reason was he was protecting me from his influence. Strauss pissed him off so he destroyed her before killing her. He killed my Sponsor for personal reasons as I said as he would never have let him run around like he was, living my life."

"No."

"Yes. He was a damned sociopathic serial killer and you didn't even fucking know. He operated under the nose of the BAU for months." Spencer shook off the hold that Aaron had on him. "I may have fallen in love with a psychopath but at least I knew who I was falling in love with and letting fuck me. You let yourself be led around by your cock and never looked back. The other Aaron hinted that Spencer was a master at killing without getting caught but I just thought that it was pride. But that Spencer killed his way through the FBI and even got it blamed on others and none of you even fucking realized it."

"Who was your sponsor?"

"My first meeting of the Beltway Clean Cops, I met him. I knew who he was instantly. I called him sir and he made me call him John. I had to watch as the other Aaron pressured the John Richmond of his world, a man who had never gained control of his vices, who was the epitome of corrupt, into giving up the BAU to someone who would actually be a good leader of it, instead of the man who had been the Unit Chief. I wanted to come back and see my John who was a good man but Spencer robbed me of that, he made a passing note of his apparent overdose, the only reason I can figure of why is that he wanted me to know he was dead. Because John Richmond was nobody to me. Coffee after meetings but no one knew who we were."

Aaron stumbled back away from Spencer and sat down on the edge of the couch, hard. Spencer wanted to move forward and touch. To ground himself but his anger was right there on the edge and he was afraid of what he would do if he did. He was afraid of what he would allow Aaron to do to him to make the pain go away.

"I never..." Aaron looked up at him and begged with his eyes. "He really did all of that?"

"You didn't have an inkling?"

"No, especially not with Strauss."

"Aaron bragged on him being damned good at what he did, including having him trained in Japan. I don't think he would have ever gone after Strauss if his Aaron had been here to control him. I knew from the way that people reacted to me that Spencer wasn't someone to cross. I wonder what would have happened if you had ended up being a threat." Spencer's anger left him as he looked at Aaron. The man's world was rocked. He was devastated.

"What was Gideon like in that world?" Aaron asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Spencer moved forward and when he got close enough, Aaron pulled him into his lap. Spencer allowed it, even starting to comb his fingers through Aaron's hair to help settle him.

"I..." Spencer stopped. Aaron didn't need that information but he understood why he wanted it. "Our Gideon got the much better end of the deal. The other Gideon has lived for years in a cage in the bottom of Aaron's mansion. Being fed through a feeding tube and having no contact. He and Rossi were a couple, I don't know if that was ever really used in conjunction with what they were. They took in Aaron after everything with Aaron's family but instead of staying when Aaron started to show traits of what he was, Gideon fled. Aaron never forgave him that. Then Gideon tried to convince Spencer that Aaron was lying to him and cheating on him, that Jack hadn't been conceived with Haley through In Vitro. Aaron destroyed him then."

"Spencer was his."

"Exactly. Those two are perfect for each other and I truly believe that if Aaron ever did tire of him and choose to let him go, Spencer would burn the world down around him. Aaron would outright kill him if he ever thought of leaving."

"I made mention once that his Aaron seemed like a psychopath. Spencer said I put words in his mouth but he has to know."

"He does but Aaron what would you think of someone who was willingly with a psychopath for over a decade? My circumstances notwithstanding."

"I'd watch them closer. God, he really did manipulate me didn't he?" Aaron buried his head in Spencer's neck, inhaling and exhaling. Spencer started to rub his fingers on Aaron's scalp harder, trying to calm him down. This was his fault. Another life fucked up because he and Charlie were idiots. They thought they were smarter than everyone else.

Spencer tipped Aaron's head back and kissed him. He couldn't do much to erase what had happened but he could do his damnedest to make up for it and to start, he needed to make Aaron feel better. Aaron's hands buried themselves in his hair and held him still as he took control of the kiss. Spencer let him dictate it all and when his head was pushed down, Spencer took that as a queue to what Aaron wanted. Spencer kissed down his neck before while he worked on getting his hands on the top of Aaron's pants.

Aaron didn't stop Spencer from sliding down out of his lap. His knee twinged so Spencer stopped moving. It wasn't going to allow him to do that, not in that way.

"Up," Spencer said and Aaron did as he asked. Spencer slipped back up onto the couch and coaxed Aaron in between his spread legs. Spencer licked at Aaron's hard cock before taking it fully in his mouth. A thumb brushed down his cheek before it moved up to bury itself in his hair. Aaron was hesitant as Spencer got used to him. With his knee, sex had been different with the other Aaron at the end. Spencer relaxed his throat and took Aaron in further, feeling the full body shudder from the man before the grip on his hair changed from just holding to directing him.

It wasn't long before Spencer knew that Aaron was close so he doubled his efforts.

"Spencer, I'm..." Aaron pushed Spencer down farther onto his cock as he came. Spencer held back the tears that wanted to form, Aaron didn't need to see them. He didn't need to see Spencer's guilt. He pushed the guilt down and cleaned off Aaron's cock before letting it slip from his mouth. Aaron pushed him back onto the couch, climbing into his lap and kissing him. He was thankful that Aaron didn't reach for his cock as it wasn't hard and Spencer wasn't sure that he could get hard.

Spencer gave everything in the kiss, pouring all of his guilt into it. He kept back the tears, though, that would give him away.

"I have a confession," Aaron said as he pulled back.

"Okay." Spencer wasn't sure what kind of confession Aaron could have, he never did anything that needs confessing.

"I was happy when Gideon died, not for how it happened now that I know the truth but I feared him if he ever came back into your life."

"Because he was in love with me?" Spencer asked. Aaron's mouth dropped open and he just stared at Spencer.

"I realized it after he came back to the unit after Boston. I thought I was just seeing things until Hankel. He pulled away from you then and I was happy. I was afraid of him going to you when you were vulnerable. Then it was obvious that you were using and I stepped in to make sure that he didn't."

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"Because he never approached you. You seemingly didn't know or weren't acknowledging it so I just kept an eye." Aaron leaned back a little so that they could see each other better. "The other Spencer made me face something or lose him. I thought it was you so I bared my soul to him."

"What?" Spencer asked. He wasn't sure how much more guilt he could take. How much more he could take at all.

"When Foyet attacked me in my apartment, he didn't just use his knife to hurt me. To...rape me. He raped me fully."

"Aaron, why didn't you..." Spencer stopped when Aaron's eyes hardened.

"At first I wasn't sure I remembered it correctly. Unlike with his knife, he took his time raping me. I was in an out with pain and blood loss. It wasn't until after I was home that I remembered it all by then there was nothing to be done."

"You should have talked to someone about it. Anyone."

"I was going to because it was getting to me and then Foyet came back and I beat him to death. It felt so good to do that and I feared myself. I knew I wasn't becoming my father but I hated how good it felt."

"You knew he was dead then. You saw it with your own eyes, did it with your own hands." Spencer brought their head back together, letting forehead rest on forehead. "He died too quickly."

"He didn't die quickly," Aaron said jerking out of Spencer's hold.

"No. The Foyet in the other world. I should have gut shot him instead of a headshot."

"What?" Aaron looked like he didn't understand a single word that Spencer said.

"Foyet was trying to take down Aaron in the other world but for reasons that would never stand up in court. Foyet was in lust with Haley and he was the reason that she tried to take Jack and flee from Aaron. Aaron tracked her down and took Jack back from her and killed her. That set Foyet after Aaron. But Foyet was his own brand of horror. A predilection for underage girls, using women to further his own means, using the FBI to get what he wanted. He was a corrupt man before he turned his eyes on Aaron. Anyway, he overstepped and was removed from the FBI and it wasn't Aaron that did it, not the last push that is. Foyet went after Jack and I. He had a gun on us and was threatening to kill us. It's when I injured my knee again. I took the kill shot because he wasn't going to stop. He was stark raving mad and there was no way that he wasn't going to go after Jack again. In that moment, all I was, was a father protecting a child. That man was going to come after him again so I made sure he wasn't ever getting up again. I'm sure that if I had it to do over again, I'd make the same choice but I want to resurrect him and make him bleed out slowly while I watch."

"I don't ever want you that close to him again. He sounds worse in the other world than he was here and I don't want you to even breath the same as him." Aaron leaned in and kissed him, it was soft and gentle and Spencer settled into it, taking it for what it was, Aaron reassuring himself.

"Spencer referenced a club in his journal but he didn't put down any details. A club?" Spencer asked after Aaron had swapped their positions, him down on the couch and Spencer sitting sideways in his lap.

"Once you have the chance for a day or two with no cases over a weekend, we'll go to the club and you can meet Trevor."

"Who is Trevor?" Spencer asked, getting a little jealous.

"Trevor is a Switch who has been helping to train me. To make sure that I didn't hurt him. He bought a membership for both of us. He knew what the other Aaron would turn you onto." Aaron pulled Spencer in just a little closer to him and his hand slipped a button loose before finding his nipple. Spencer hissed at the sensation. "I know you didn't take them out and I understand but Spencer bought several pairs for himself. Including several ones that won't set off metal detectors. When you want to take these out, you have options. I should get back to Jack. In your closet, you'll find a new box of letters from your mother to him."

Spencer slid off Aaron's lap and watched as the man left the apartment. Spencer wanted to visit the club alone. He was sure that somewhere in the apartment was the information on it, he just had to find it. Spencer grabbed his cell phone and lounged on the couch for a few. He brought up the texting application and picture of Henry again. He'd missed him so much. Spencer scrolled through the texts to and from the other Spencer and JJ. There were pictures and little stories about things he'd done. Thanks for watching Henry. Spencer was glad that the other Spencer hadn't put off watching him just because it wasn't really him and Henry meant nothing to him.

The texts to and from Morgan and Garcia were less than what they had been before but Spencer wasn't shocked on that. The ones to Rossi were slightly higher but that wasn't a shock either. To and from Prentiss were roughly the same. Discussions on books and films. He found a new number in the phone, for a Trevor, who Spencer assumed was the Switch who was helping Aaron. It was mainly notifications that they were home from a case and that Aaron wanted a session. Spencer was tempted to ask if the man was going to be at the club that night but Spencer didn't. He'd go but he didn't want to draw attention to himself.

Spencer texted JJ and asking her to set up the lunch with the team at Aaron's around noon and asking if he could have Henry for the afternoon after that. He slipped the phone into his pocket as he got up off the couch. He went to the bedroom and looked at it. The mattress was new and Spencer had figured that would happen. He found the jewelry box with the various nipple rings, studs, and even belly button ones. Spencer fingered his own and knew that he'd get one as soon as possible. He found the silicone ones and swapped out what he was wearing for a set of the studs. He didn't put the platinum ones in the jewelry box but instead set them beside it. He needed to put them with the rest f the set but he wasn't sure that in Aaron's apartment was the best place.

A quick look through his dresser didn't wield much in the way of different. New on some things but close to what he wore. The clothes closet was a very different story. There were only a few of his old outfits in there, the ones he'd bought more recently but the rest was all close to what he'd been wearing in the other world. Spencer looked through them, one piece at a time. The colors were more his style but a few things that were in there had been solely for the other Spencer, still, Spencer knew he would wear them. In the back of the closet though there were clothes that Spencer knew were for the club. There were a few mesh shirts and leather pants. He'd got used to what he's worn in the other world but it truly wasn't his style, this was. Behind the club clothes was another surprise. Spencer's hand closed around silk. He pulled out the four items before really looking at them. Two were kimonos and two were plain robes. The tags were still on them and Spencer knew they had been bought just for him. Spencer barely looked at the price but instead just looked at the handwriting.

_To S from S_

Spencer slipped those back inside and found the box that Aaron had told him about. He found the first letter from his Mom to the other Spencer with a date that was roughly after Aaron told him that Spencer had gone to see Diana. He read through each of them. Spencer had made peace with her and the ghost of his own mother. One good thing to come out of it all. When he was halfway through the letters, he felt his phone vibrate twice, two messages but he ignored them. He pushed on and finished the letters before he moved to the closet. He found the outfit that he wanted, tight jeans and one of the mesh shirts. The dark purple one. He dressed before he opened the messages. The first was from JJ telling him that the team was set for a lunch and that Henry was looking forward to spending the afternoon with him. The second was from Aaron, telling him that dinner was going to be around six.

_Sorry. I won't be over for dinner. A few things I want to do before bed and talking with the team._

**That's understandable. I'll wait up for you if you want to stay over here.**

Spencer wasn't sure how he would do sleeping in bed alone. The other Spencer obviously did it on cases but Spencer hadn't since after the other Aaron had killed Ethan.

_I'll come over when I am done._

There was no response but Spencer wasn't sure what response that Aaron could have given. So he slipped the phone into his back pocket before he moved to the bathroom. He looked at him in the mirror. He looked different, even from when he'd last really looked at himself in the other world. He needed time to find himself in this world. To stretch his wings and see what it all was but first, he had to get everything straightened out.

Spencer found his wallet in the apartment, inside the messenger bag hanging on the coatrack. He was a little shocked as he was sure that he'd have to go to Aaron's to get it. He looked through the wallet and found a card. There was a single address on it but what was behind it was a card to use on a reader to get into somewhere. Assuming it was for the club, Spencer slipped the wallet into his pants and grabbed the leather jacket on the hanger before slipping out of his apartment.

It was two blocks before Spencer could hail a cab and when he gave the address, the man driving looked at him weirdly. The driver said nothing though and the trip to the club was quick. The building he was dropped in front of was nothing like what he had expected. He saw the subtle sign for the club but above that was a hotel of sorts. Spencer had seen it before but never paid attention.

"Doctor Reid, is Mr. Hotchner on his way?" The man at the door asked as he opened it for Spencer.

"No, it'll just be me tonight."

"Well have a lovely night. You might like who we have as an exhibitionist today." The man smirked at spencer and ushered him into the club. Spencer made his way along the corridor that he could hear music coming from. A woman stepped out in front of him and he stopped. She looked him up and down.

"He said that one day I would know. One day he would walk in alone and I would know that the Spencer in front of me wasn't the same I had met before. I kind of thought him insane but no, here you are. Carlie Rees, Doctor Reid, why don't we step into my office?"

Spencer wasn't sure what was going on but he followed her. In the office were two men. Both seated on a couch. The collar on Carlie's neck told him what she was but the other two he had no idea.

"Gentlemen, please," Carlie said as she sat on the edge of the desk. She waved for Spencer to sit and then handed over paperwork. Spencer eyed it for a second, realizing it was an NDA. He read over the whole document and saw that the other Spencer had signed it. Movement alerted him that the men were moving. The bigger built man moved to sit in the chair while the more lithe man moved towards Spencer.

"He really wasn't shitting us," the man said as he crouched in front of Spencer. "Trevor Duncan, Doctor Reid. The man behind me is Broderick Rees, Carlie's husband, and our Dom. Where is Mr. Hotchner?"

"At home with Jack."

"Is Spencer back with his Sir and his son?" Broderick asked.

"Yes. He's back home."

"So we need to register a change of safeword. I doubt you want to use Vicaria."

Spencer didn't like being put on the spot but he'd been thinking for a while n the word. "Domum."

"You utter that word in here or red and a guard will intervene."

"Is there a rules pamphlet?"

"I'll email it to you. Tonight just relax and enjoy. Trevor will be out on the floor if have any questions."

"Thank you. Do you want me to..." Spencer pointed at the paperwork.

"No. It's fine. Just go have fun."

Spencer nodded and stood up. Broderick stood up as well but Carlie stayed seated on the desk and Trevor leaned into the spot beside her. Spencer looked at them once more before he stepped out of the office. He followed the music again to find that the club was pretty full for even a Saturday night. One of the guards spotted him and smiled before escorting him to a table. A glass of wine was brought over before Spencer had figured out exactly where he wanted to sit. Whether he wanted to look at the dance floor or to see the others scattered around in the tables. He took a drink of the wine and found it delightful. He settled in to watch the people at the tables. There were a few who Spencer could tell were getting off on being watched.

There were no sex organs visible but then cock and pussy weren't the only way to get off. Spencer watched as Sub and Switch performed a private dance for their Doms they were in the lap of.

An hour went by and Spencer drank only that single glass of wine. Finger foods had been set down in front of him. He didn't question it at all and just ate. He figured that a bill of some kind would be ready to settle before he left. He watched and he learned. It wasn't like any of the clubs that Aaron had taken him but he figured it had been close enough to make the other Spencer happy. He trusted the club for that reason alone. Spencer would never have gone into a place that wasn't safe.

"Aren't you a pretty little thing?" a man asked as he sat down at the table. Spencer looked at him, a look of shock all over his face. Spencer looked around, not shocked that the man had called him pretty but that he'd even dared to sit down at his table. Before he could even think of saying anything, the man started to speak again. "I see you are without your guard dog tonight."

Spencer locked eyes with the guard that was across the room, the only one in eyesight and the man started towards them.

"I didn't invite you to sit down and just because my Dom isn't here, doesn't mean I'm going to do a damned thing with you. I don't play games. He's mine and if you ever want to fuck a Sub again I'd get up off of my table and go away."

The guard was there with two others before the man could even react.

"This is your third strike, Larimer. You are out," the guard who grabbed the man's arm said.

"I demand you release me at once."

"You know full well that Doctor Reid is in a committed relationship. You also know that you are supposed to ask before you sit down at a table with a Sub or a Switch who is alone. It's your third strike, you are gone and you won't get a full refund." Broderick was right there and until he had started to talk, Spencer hadn't realized that he was there.

"He threatened me!" the man yelled as he was escorted away.

"Dinner and drinks on the house tonight, Doctor Reid," Broderick said. His eyes flashed a little worried.

"I'll make Aaron aware but he won't do anything, Broderick. You are not at fault for this."

"Have a good evening, Doctor Reid."

Spencer nodded and the man left him alone. He wasn't shocked when a few minutes later a new glass of wine and another plate of finger foods were set down in front of him. He watched people as they moved in and around him but his mind was elsewhere. Thinking about how much he had changed and how he wasn't going to regret those changes.

* * *

#  _Mirror World_

Spencer stretched out under the soft cool sheets of the bed that faced the open windows that looked out on a private beach and the Mediterranean Sea. Coming to Spain had been a perfect idea, getting away from the office and everyone in the house, Spencer was having a harder time reacclimating than he thought he would have. After his talk with JJ, Spencer knew he wanted more children. His time with Henry and Jack in the other world made him want the sound of little feet again, and Jack was growing so fast. Spencer was spending as much time as he could with the boy, but he missed him being younger and wanting more cuddles. He didn’t know if this was what they called baby fever or not, he just knew what he wanted. He understood it was also unusual with his sociopathy that he even wanted children, but he did. He didn’t really question anymore who he was, it was more of an intriguing dichotomy making him want to do some research, maybe developing a case study with himself at the center of the research. It wasn’t difficult for him to be honest with himself, he knew who he was and he embraced it. Setting all these thoughts aside, he turned on his side and smiled at Aaron who was lightly running fingers along his naked body.

JJ had come with them to help take care of Jack for them. She was with the boy in one of the other wings of the large house. Aaron had phoned Jackson and asked if he wanted to join them, and he, of course, said yes. Adam wasn’t going to be able to, he had classes to finish up before the end of the semester.

“It was a good idea to come here,” Aaron said before he bent and kissed Spencer.

“I’m glad we came also. We need this Aaron, both of us. Work, Jack’s activities, and all of the other things in our lives haven’t really let us reconnect except for that first couple of days.”

“You’re right. Jax won’t be here for a couple of days, why don’t we let JJ have Jack for the day, and we take the time just for us.”

Spencer sat up, after Aaron took off the cuffs, and moved to straddle Aaron’s legs. “I like that. We can go to that little cafe that makes those Spanish Tortillas and fresh Cafe de la Jolla. Do some shopping and bring something pretty back for JJ, something fun for Jack.”

Aaron slid his hands up Spencer’s back, closing his eyes he explored each and every scar that he could reach. Spencer shivered at the touch. This was what he had missed more than anything. Yes, the Domination and Submission was so much a part of their life, but these intimate moments, the way Aaron touched him and reveled in the marks he had put there. The sex was lazy, they took their time just touching, kissing and reconnecting like they should have been. There had been a few more hiccups. Times Spencer saw a faraway look in his lover’s eyes telling him he was thinking of the other Spencer, but it was happening less and less.

Spencer arched up as he slid his hands over his own body, taking one of Aaron’s own and putting it on his nipple. Aaron hissed as he thrust up, pulling on the rings, his other hand gripping the slim waist, fingers ghosting over new scars. Spencer closed his eyes as he stretched his arms up above his head, linking his fingers, arching even more as he gently rode Aaron’s cock. He stayed like that when Aaron grabbed his now aching cock and pumped making him cum, striping his stomach with his release. Not long after Aaron was gripping his hips chasing his own release.

They stayed like that still connected as Spencer leaned down and kissed Aaron. Slow, lazy, but no less passionate kisses meant not for arousal, but just for the intimacy. Arms came around him as he was held in a very tight embrace, a shuddering breath, and kisses to his temple.

“We should clean up,” Aaron’s voice was rough with emotion and Spencer loved hearing that.

“I love you,” Spencer murmured against skin that had warmed from their sex and the sun streaming through the windows as a light breeze teased the curtains open.

“I love you too my Pet,” Aaron whispered in his ear and Spencer knew this was going to be a day of play.

Breakfast they took their time at the cafe Spencer had wanted to go to, then a long walk along the beach. Spencer laughed and told Aaron how he thought it was all so very cliche, but it didn’t lessen their enjoyment. They both loved the beach and the water, it’s why all of their vacation properties were near an ocean. Spencer was enjoying the feel of the sun on his face, the fact that they had barely been outside for weeks had weighed on the both of them. The good thing about being the boss, they could stay as long as they wanted, even doing work from the Castillo if needed.

Jackson would be there soon, which was an issue he hadn’t talked to Aaron about yet. He had read all about Atlantic City and what happened there. The other Spencer had written down all of his thoughts on how he felt afterward. Spencer had a hard time handling the bubble of jealousy that rose up inside him. He knew he had needed to get Aaron to a better place mentally and emotionally before he even talked about this.

Spencer loved Jackson. He wasn’t in love with him like he was Aaron, but there were feelings there which he had never broached with Aaron, knowing his possessiveness with him. He had always harbored a fantasy of Jackson taking the whip, or a flogger to him, then taking him while Aaron watched. He shivered a little as the mental pictures of what it might be like floated in his mind.

“Something wrong Pet?”

Spencer spied a fishing boat coming into harbor, which made him curious to know what kind of catch they had brought in.

“Come on, let’s see what they have.” He knew he deflected, he was still trying to work out what it was he wanted in his own head before he voiced his desires. He saw Aaron frown a little, but he just turned in his Dom’s arms and kissed him stupid. “Later, right now I want to see what they brought in.”

Luckily Aaron softly chuckled which made Spencer grip his hand even tighter to pull him along. When they got to the boat, they saw all kinds of fresh fish and mollusks, the Mediterranean held a veritable bounty of fish. In perfect Spanish, Spencer talked with the Captain and made a quick deal with him.

“What did you just buy?” Aaron tucked Spencer into his side after money changed hands and their address was given.

“Clams, muscles, a few lobsters, shrimp, and a whole side of fresh Tuna, some mackerel, and a couple of others. It will be processed and delivered in a couple of hours.”

“And just what are we going to do with all this fresh bounty?”

“First, we go to that open air market where I get some fresh herbs, chicken, and that Spanish Chorizo you like along with some chilies and a few bottles of local wine. Fresh crusty bread, rice and saffron, then I cook you a fabulous dinner.”

This was a rare treat. Spencer loved to cook but often didn’t get the chance to. Now they had time, and though they employed a cook, Spencer wanted to spoil Aaron.

“Sounds wonderful. And what did I do to deserve this?” Aaron turned Spencer to look at him as they stopped along the beach.

“You made it possible to bring me back. We’ve been on shifting sand Aaron, and this time away, it’s for us to get back on solid ground again. I need us to be solid again.” Spencer leaned into Aaron, wrapping his arms around the man he loved. He sighed deeply as Aaron pulled him in closer and held him tight.

“I know, and I’m sorry my Pet. I should never have taken those two new cases. But, we’re here, and I’m going to show you in every way possible just how much I love you, and happy you’re home.”

Spencer laid his head against Aaron’s shoulder and just breathed in the scents around them. He knew there was more they needed to talk about, but he would bring it up at dinner. For now, he just wanted to enjoy the day. He started to pull away, but Aaron tightened his arm to keep Spencer close. The kiss was soft but no less possessive. The arm, the hand in his hair, gripping tight, the kiss it all went to Spencer’s head as he melted in Aaron’s arms.

Pulling away Aaron took Spencer’s hand and they lazily strolled back to the farmer’s market that they had passed earlier. Smiling, Spencer just kissed Aaron’s cheek before grabbing some canvas totes to shop for what he needed.

Aaron leaned against a pillar near one of the stalls and just watched as his lover walked through picking things up here and, there. He felt the smile on his face knowing he had let the other Spencer go. He had struggled there for a time because it was hard to believe that his love was back with him.

“He’s beautiful, si?” Aaron narrowed his eyes as he turned his head to look at the man standing next to him. Even he could admit the stranger was very good looking. His accent honey smooth and pleasantly thick. The man was tall, his complexion a dark olive tone, and the smile was deadly for anyone who would be interested.

“Yes, he is. He’s also mine.” Aaron turned and crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the stranger.

“I see. You wouldn’t be willing to….share?” The stranger’s smile turned feral as his eyes tracked Spencer moving through the market.

“No.” The flat dangerous tone in Aaron’s voice should have told the stranger to back off, but he didn’t.

“I would certainly make it worth your while.”

Aaron felt white hot rage surge through him as he grabbed the stranger’s arm in a tight grip and dragged him away from the market to a secluded spot not that far away.

“I do _not_ prostitute my lover for anything. If you understood who you were propositioning, you would have thought better than to approach me. Now, if you want to continue being healthy you will turn around and leave. In fact, my own personal security will now be escorting you out of here and I don’t want to see your face again.” Aaron nodded towards the men who had previously blended well into the background.

“I am not intimidated by you.” Aaron saw the lie and let the man have it as he leaned in and whispered in his ear.

“You should be glad I didn’t use the knife currently resting against your ribs. I am more than skilled and have killed for less. Now, are you going to leave, or will this get very nasty?”

Aaron pulled back just enough to look the man in the eyes. When all he did was nod yes, Aaron pulled back and let the man leave. When he started to walk back to the market, he threw the wallet he had pilfered at the man walking behind him.

“Find out who he is, I want to know everything,” he said as he threw the wallet to one of his guards.

“You’ll have the information by the time you return to the Villa sir.”

“Thank you, Grayson. Now, I’m going back to wait for Spencer.” Aaron took a moment to track where Spencer was, it didn’t take much to find him haggling over the price of something. He knew his lover would win.

It wasn’t very long before Spencer approached with a few bags in his arms full of fresh produce.

“Who was that man Aaron?”

“Someone who had the gall to try to get me to let him have a night with you. Don’t worry, he’ll be dealt with.” Aaron looked at the bags in Spencer’s hands and just shook his head. He knew his lover was going to take over the kitchen and not let anyone near it till he was ready. “Ready?”

“Got everything I need.” Spencer wondered what Aaron was going to do to the man if he was just going to scare him, or worse. He would get the whole story out of his lover, then decide if he would just let Aaron handle it. Men who wanted him, tried to buy him were the most fun to play with, they begged so beautifully when they broke, especially in his secret room. Spencer almost pouted at the thoughts running through his head. The Castillo was not outfitted with a room that he could indulge in. He just may have to talk Aaron into building one for him in the near future.

Aaron had taken a couple of the bags in his hands to carry giving him the chance to tuck himself into Aaron’s side. This was normal, one of the things he had missed since coming back. Spencer knew they would get there, be that everything to each other again, it was just taking time. He had to be patient. This time away was going to do them all a world of good.

When they got back to the house, Spencer took the bags from Aaron and went into the kitchen. He told Aaron not to disturb him while he got things ready for a light lunch, then he would start on the dinner he had planned after the fish was delivered. He hummed to himself as he put the things he had bought away. Since they were in Spain, Spencer would make a decadent paella for lunch for all of them. He had learned the dish from Jose Andres himself. He had spent two weeks with the man learning to cook everything from simple tapas to the complex rice dish. It was time well worth the money he had paid for the one-on-one lessons. Plus, it got him and Aaron lifetime seats to any of Andres restaurants anywhere in the world.

Letting his thoughts go, he got down to cooking. This was one of the more creative sides of science and that was why Spencer loved doing it. It was a different kind of release than what he found in the playroom. This was both intellectually and creatively stimulating while being relaxing at the same time. As he moved around the kitchen, making the sofrito for the base of the paella, he thought that maybe he should do this more often. Take the time out to indulge more in something that he loved. Next, he grabbed the homemade seafood stock, and the fresh saffron he had found at the Farmer’s Market. It was very expensive, but more than worth it for the deep rich taste and color that it gave the paella. After getting the rice in the pan and cooking it with the sofrito till it was nice and browned, he added the stock. Letting that cook for a few moments, he grabbed some of the Spanish chorizo, shrimp that the cook had already stocked in the freezer previously, and the branzino fish filets. When the liquid had reduced by a third, Spencer dotted the rice with the fish and chorizo, then slipped the whole pan in the oven to finish the cooking letting the bottom get that nice crispy bottom paella was known for.

As he puttered getting the rest of lunch finished, Spencer's thoughts wandered back to Jackson. He didn’t want to bring him up at lunch, he wanted to wait till dinner when Jack wasn’t going to be with them. This was a discussion that was more than overdue. There had been times over the years when he had seen the hurt in Aaron’s eyes as Jackson would leave to go home, but his stubbornness and selfishness over Spencer himself held them all back from something...Spencer was not quite sure what it would be, but he was willing to try, even if it was all to just make Aaron happy.

* * *

“Lunch was amazing. I can’t imagine how you are going to top that.” Aaron teased as he pulled Spencer down onto his lap. Spencer had asked Aaron to wear his favorite linen suit. It had been tailored to fit just right. The pants were still loose and flowing, but they gave Aaron a long, lean and relaxed look. The shirt was a snug fit, showing off a lean muscular upper body, and the jacket tied it all together. The suit was a dark cream, with the shirt Spencer’s favorite shade of purple.

“It’s a surprise. But, first tell me what happened at the market, and how much you found out about the man.”

“I found out quite a lot. Grayson called Penny who dug into the man’s life. He thought he could get me to let you have a night with him. He went so far as to offer money. Penny found out all kinds of interesting things about him. He’s an industrialist that tries to get away with paying his workers as little as legally possible. Several of the women and some of the more attractive men have lodged complaints about his advances. Even risking their jobs.”

“I don’t have to guess what you want to do about it.”

Aaron chuckled as his hands gripped Spencer’s hips holding him down on his lap while Spencer sipped at a chilled Spanish Pinot Grigio.

“Looking into his company. Jackson is quite interested in it. He’s looking to add to Grimes Industries and a company that produces circuit boards, micro miniature boxes, and several other computer and small electronic parts are right up their alley. If he has his way, he’ll have fun ruining one Rejinaldo de Las Palmas, and make Calidad Electronica de Madrid even better.”

“Another incentive for him to come and spend time with us then.”

“I don’t think Jax needs much encouragement for that.”

Spencer set his wine down then moved to fully straddle Aaron’s lap. He wrapped his arms behind Aaron’s head linking his hands together, keeping the man right where he wanted him.

“Sir,” Spencer bit his lip because he knew this was going to be a difficult conversation. He waited for Aaron before he continued.

“Yes, Pet?” Aaron gripped his waist, pulling him even closer.

“Why have you never let Jackson dominate me?” Spencer’s heart was pounding just a little. This was going to be a test of their whole relationship. Pushing previously set unspoken boundaries. When he felt Aaron’s intense gaze on him, he hoped that he had not pushed too far.

“In the beginning, my obsession was almost all-consuming. I don’t even have to tell you that. Your responsiveness, how beautifully you take the pain, I only ever wanted it for myself.”

Spencer tilted his head, narrowing his eyes he knew there was something more, something Aaron might have only admitted to himself recently. Spencer didn’t know how he knew, but he just knew.

“And now? Something changed didn’t it.”

The look on Aaron’s face and the deep breath he took told Spencer he was right. Something had changed, and he would bet anyone his whole bank account that it was Atlantic City.

“The poker tournament. Something changed with you.”

“Yes, Pet. I let Jackson play with Spencer. His responses, it was intoxicating. Made me realize a hard truth about myself. Jax and I always wanted someone to share. Someone we both could love and play with. I was so very blind by my possessiveness that I chose not to think of you as that person. I never thought to ask you if it was ever something that you would want. I made assumptions.”

Spencer pulled back so that he could lay a hand on Aaron’s heart.

“What if we try?” Spencer wanted to tread carefully, he knew what a minefield this was for Aaron.

“I know you care about Jax, but I’ve never let you express what you do feel for him. So, tell me now, Pet.”

Spencer watched Aaron carefully. He knew his Dom would never set him up for punishment, he also knew they had to work on getting trust back.

“I love him. Not like you do. I’m not in love with him, but I do love him. I…”

“Tell me everything Spencer.” Aaron was watching him closely and Spencer knew he was looking for the lie, but that was just it Spencer would never lie to him. Not his Aaron.

“I want to know, Sir. I want Jackson to play with me. I want you to watch us together. I want so many things.” Spencer leaned in to press his lips against Aaron’s, kissing him. When Aaron pulled him ever closer he moaned against Aaron’s mouth, fingers carded in his hair pulling just enough to coax an even louder moan from him. Spencer kept the kiss going, but he didn’t let it go further. There would be time later to play and sex. Right now he needed to go to the kitchen to finish up their dinner. “Right now, I need to go finish up.”

Pulling away, he smiled as he stood up to make his way back into the kitchen.

He worked about another hour putting the finishing touches on all the food. He had a plan, to seduce Aaron throughout the meal with the pairings of the food and wines he had picked out. Taking the first dish out, he set it on the table, then sat across Aaron’s lap.

“Going to feed me, Pet?”

“Of course. Some more of the Pinot we had earlier and these are Gulf shrimp marinated in olive oil infused with garlic, wrapped in Spanish bacon grilled on the stove top grill.” Spencer picked up the first piece and fed it to Aaron, who took a bite and moaned as the flavors of garlic and peppery olive oil burst on his tongue.

“If that’s the first course, I’m excited to see what else you have.” Spencer preened a little at the praise, he loved it when his Aaron praised him. He fed his lover one of the shrimp, then he would have one. Aaron touched him, caressing his back, and even slipping a hand down his waistband to cup his ass. He loved this, he missed this. He had never felt comfortable enough with the other Aaron for this level of intimacy. This, this was what they had needed. When the plate was done, He stood and went to get the next dish.

The evening was playful, the food varied. Spencer had made spicy pork empanadas with an avocado dipping sauce, a ceviche with grilled and marinated habaneros in heirloom lettuce cups, skewers of fresh anchovy, olive, and herbs. A Spanish tortilla, where the eggs were so fluffy they practically melted in the mouth. There was more, and each wine paired perfectly with each dish.

Spencer was so hard by the time they got to dessert he wasn’t sure he could last. Service was one of his biggest kinks, but he didn’t often get to indulge like now. He would maintain, though, he would always maintain for Aaron.

“That was amazing, Pet.” Aaron nuzzled his neck, sucking a mark as he cupped Spencer’s cock. “I think I want something else for dessert,” Aaron whispered in his ear. Spencer was all too willing to comply.

* * *

“What are you asking me, Aaron?” Jackson asked as he slid his hand over Aaron’s back. Spencer spent the night with Jack watching movies, and playing games so that he could give time to Aaron and Jackson to talk.

“With losing Spencer, and the night in Atlantic City, I realized that life really is too short. I’ve kept us apart, and I take that responsibility, Jax. I thought that if I shared Spencer that…” Aaron blew out a breath as he turned onto his back. “That I’d lose him.”

“Wow. So, what? You want us to try to be more? The three of us?”

“Yes. And Spencer, he wants it also.”

“This is quite the change, Aaron. I just want to make sure that you are truly going to be okay with this.”

“That’s why we wanted you here early. Give this a try in a safe, neutral environment. Since this is our place, and not the one in Atlantic City, we can be more relaxed.”

Jackson moved lay between Aaron’s open legs, pressing his cock against Aaron’s quickly hardening one. He looked down as he thrust up, and smiled at the look on Aaron’s face.

“God, you're beautiful.” Jackson kissed Aaron as legs wrapped around his, keeping him where his lover wanted. “Tell me what you want Aaron.”

“Jax, I want a lot of things. But, specifically I want to make Spencer happy, I want you happy. Us to be together more, figure out what to do now that Foyet is no longer in my way. I want what I’ve always wanted. Power, can you imagine what we can do? The three of us together?” Aaron carded his fingers through Jackson’s hair as he kept him right where he wanted him. Kissing the man was so different from Spencer. It was always an intoxicating mix of give and take, dominance and submission, battling back and forth for control. Their sex was always hard and rough, with little finesse. Jackson had Aaron pinned down on the bed as thrust down hard against him. Aaron gasped as his cock swelled against Jackson’s.

Aaron tried to take back control, but Jackson just held his wrists even tighter pushing down with his body, keeping Aaron right where he wanted him.

“Hmm, don’t know what you’re thinking Aaron, but you are mine,” Jackson growled as his hips worked to bring them both the pure pleasure they always sought from each other. His goal was always to try to reduce the strong, controlling and enigmatic Aaron Hotchner down to a begging, needy mess. It worked some of the time, but they both enjoyed the game of it.

“Jax, please,” Aaron begged as his body shook with the need to let go. Jackson was keeping him on that edge as he moved his entire body over his lover, driving the man just a little crazy.

“I love when you beg. I don’t get that often. Maybe I should just keep you on the edge. Let you cum when I want you to.” Jackson bent and kissed Aaron while he thrust particularly hard against Aaron’s cock.

“Remember, there’s always payback,” Aaron’s back bowed getting caught up in the pleasure. Jackson chuckled as he mouthed at the warm, flushed skin beneath him.

“Then cum for me Aaron,” Jackson was almost breathless as he whispered in Aaron’s ear. “Right,” a hard thrust made Aaron cry out. “Now.” Stiffening, he pushed up against Jackson as his release spilled warm between them. Sitting up and straddling Aaron’s waist, Jackson took his own cock in his hands, chasing his own orgasm. He cried out as he came, painting Aaron’s stomach and chest with his release. His breath was coming in short pants as he sat looking down at Aaron with a crooked smile on his face.

“You look rather pleased with yourself,” Aaron slid his hands over Jackson’s thighs, hands gripping as he kept the man right there sitting on top of him.

“Sex with you is never boring. Now, let’s talk more about the three of us.”

* * *

Aaron, Jackson, and Spencer along with JJ and Jack spent most of the rest of the day on the private beach that butted up against the Villa. Jackson adored Jack, and it always made Aaron smile to see the two of the rough housing in the shallow waters. Jackson always being careful not to hurt the boy.

“You mean this Aaron?” Spencer and Aaron had been talking while Jax kept Jack occupied.

“I do. I’m willing to try this. No boundaries, but we talk things out if we run into any issues.”

“Is is just losing me that made you change your mind?”

“It’s a large part of it, Spencer. It was also, like I said, Atlantic City. Seeing Jax with him made me wonder why I kept you two apart. Why I put up boundaries. I took a good long look at myself, and when his feelings for me didn’t change, I understood that was part of the issue. Keeping you on a short leash, I didn’t allow for change.”

Spencer leaned back on his arms as his eyes traveled up and down Aaron’s body. Thoughts of what he wanted as he then looked towards Jackson.

“You know very well that we will work, Sir. You love each other and I’ve never been jealous of that. I know you, and I know him. The men that come into his life, he never gives his emotions to. Look how easily he is able to not think about Adam while he’s here. He’s always wanted you.”

“And you. So, we give it a go.”

Spencer crawled into Aaron’s lap and kissed him. “Only if you’re sure.”

“I’m very sure. And it isn’t just the personal aspects, but business as well.”

Spencer narrowed his eyes at Aaron, “You’re thinking of making a play for something, aren’t you?”

“I’m still mulling it over. I don’t want to talk about it quite yet. When I’m ready I’ll share it with the both of you.”

Spencer turned and laid back against Aaron watching his son and soon to be lover play in the surf. He wondered over what Aaron was planning but would be patient. He had his own issues to worry over at the moment. He had yet to approach Aaron about adopting, he wanted to make sure that he knew his own mind about it before he approached his lover with his wants. Looking at Jack, his heart swelled with the love he had for the boy, smiling he sighed as he wished there was another little boy there as well. Drawing the picture of Henry had helped him to say goodbye, as much as it was for JJ. She had cried a little when he had finished it and given it to her, but she loved it, and that was what mattered the most.

Soon he would be ready to talk to Aaron about Henry, and his own wants, but for now, he just wanted to enjoy his family. The reconnecting had been good for them all. Spencer’s nightmares about the other world, about feeling so lost for so long, were subsiding. He had let go and was more than ready to move on.

“I think tonight would be a good night to begin our new adventure, don’t you think Pet?” Spencer was pulled from his musings by the hand in his hair, and the arm around his waist holding him close.

“Sounds perfect to me.”

“Papa, did you see me?” Jack had been playing on a boogie board, the surf wasn’t very high, and Jackson kept his eye out as he stayed watching.

“I did, Jackers. You looked great out there.”

“Jackson showed me how to stay on. He said if we go to Hawaii in the summer like we talked about, he’ll show me how to surf. He says he has all kinds of ways for me to practice.”

“Does he now?” Aaron smiled at his son’s enthusiasm.

“Yeah. He said he’s surfed all over the world.”

“He has Jack. Maybe tonight before you go to bed, we’ll show you the pictures he sent us.” Spencer held out his arms and Jack ran to him and collapsed. A happy tired boy laid his head down on Spencer’s legs. Jackson sat next to Aaron. JJ collected some of Jack’s things as she trudged up towards them and flopped down herself. Spencer watched her a moment and saw that bit of longing in her eyes. He vowed to find someone for her. Someone that could love and accept her for who she was and not try to change her.

The family stayed out on the beach through lunch, picnicking out there, enjoying the mild warmth. By the time they trudged back in the house, everyone felt relaxed and a sense of peace settled over all of them. Dinner was a light affair, a movie later on and Jack was fast asleep. Aaron picked up the boy and took him to his room. JJ also said her goodnights and went off to bed.

Spencer felt the anticipation of what was to come, and he was more than ready.

* * *

Anticipation thrummed through him as Spencer stood in the middle of the smaller version of their playroom from home. He was naked, cuffs around his wrists and ankles. A new collar was around his neck, a surprise from Jackson, approved by Aaron. It was an intricately braided leather with two different colors. One was the ever present purple, the other an antique brown. The leather was buttery soft and supple against Spencer’s neck. The leather had been braided around sturdy steel with a ring in the front. The cuffs were in the same antique brown and felt good to Spencer.

He was currently sandwiched between the two Dom’s, which Spencer was quickly getting used to being his. Hands, mouths, teeth were quickly working him up. When Jackson sank to his knees and looked up at Aaron for permission, Spencer almost lost it. Arms wrapped around him and grabbed Jackson’s short hair as Spencer’s cock slid down his throat. Aaron held Jackson there for a moment, his breath coming in short pants in Spencer’s ear.

“Fuck,” Aaron breathed out as he thrust his own hard cock against Spencer’s ass. Spencer wanted to touch, but his hands were bound behind his back. He closed his eyes and let his head fall against Aaron’s shoulder. He let his mind go, the two men kept touching him, pushing him closer to the edge.

“Come, but don’t ejaculate,” Aaron said in his ear. Jackson wrapped his hands around Spencer’s waist and held him there as he took all of his cock in his mouth. When Aaron pulled on his nipple rings Spencer cried out as he came. He clamped down on his muscles, using the control he had been taught to keep himself from releasing. Jackson pulled off and stood up. He kissed Spencer, slipping his tongue along the seam of Spencer's lips, encouraging him to open. Tongues explored, slipping in and out of each other’s mouths. This was a new experience for Spencer. He had never had sex with anyone but Aaron and the high from that alone was letting him get to that place he craved.

“What shall we do with the pretty genius now?” Jackson's head pulled back just enough to look into glazed over eyes. “Does he want pain? Or, do we just play with him all night long?” Jackson noticed the slight tremors that went through Spencer. He was enjoying the teasing as he gripped the younger man’s waist in a tight hold.

“I want to watch you give him pain, Jax.”

“Come on pretty genius.” Jax took Spencer’s hand and pulled him away from Aaron. Spencer willingly went with him as they walked to the middle of the room. “Lift your arms.” Spencer complied as Jackson linked his wrist cuffs to the chain that was hanging down. Jackson then went to a wall where many implements were hanging up. First, he grabbed a spreader bar for Spencer’s legs and attached it to his ankles. Then he grabbed some lengths of chains and a high back chair and placed the chair where it was in direct line of sight of Spencer. Turning to Aaron, Jackson commanded him to sit in it. Using the chain he secured Aaron to the chair. Jackson straddled his lap and leaned into him so that any movement would stimulate his already hard cock.

“You are both so pretty, all bound for me. If you come, Aaron, I just may have to punish you. I don’t want you to come till I tell you to. Got it?” Leaning forward Jackson’s lips were right at Aaron’s ear, “Watch what I do to your boy, Aaron.”

“Yes,” Aaron’s breath was shallow as his heartbeat sped up in anticipation for what Jackson was going to do next.

Jackson slid off Aaron’s lap and almost groaned at the sight. He was wearing a cock cage himself because he knew he would need something to help stave off his own want to come before he was ready. Walking back to the wall he took down a heavy flogger.

Spencer bit his lip as he looked at Aaron, chained to the chair. His cock was so hard that it was almost painful. He wondered for a moment what was going through Aaron's head, but the first strike of the flogger had him letting go. Jackson took his time, worked him over till he was shaking with the need for more. Usually, Aaron would go for a striking instrument, a thin riding crop, whip, something of that nature. Jackson chose to something Spencer had only seen online. He knew them as Vampire Gloves. Sturdy leather gloves with tiny brass spikes embedded in the gloves. Spencer was practically shaking wondering what Jackson was going to do with them.

“I’m going to just stimulate your nerves, Spencer. Then, we'll move on. I want you highly sensitive for what I have next.” Spencer swallowed hard when Jackson light skimmed his gloved hands over his body. The small spikes were sharp, but not sharp enough to cut him, they did exactly what Jackson said they would. The stimulation was heady and new making Spencer get lost in the sensation really fast. “Now, I can press just enough that they can just pierce enough to bring blood to the surface, but no scars will form. But I don’t want that. I just want you to feel.”

Jackson paid attention to his back, chest, and thighs. The more he slid the gloves over his body, the more sensitive Spencer could feel himself getting. It was pushing towards painful. Spencer sucked in a breath as a hand just barely ghosted over his hard cock.

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you there, just want to stimulate.” The feel of the gloves over his cock was almost more than he could bear, then when he was about to yell out, Jackson pulled his hand away and continued to concentrate on the rest of his body.

“Tell me how you are, Spencer.” Jackson took off a glove and lifted his chin. Spencer’s breath was shallow, but he felt good, as he was almost on the verge of slipping into subspace.

“Good, Domine.”

“Latin, good, you're still with me.” Jackson took off a glove to test Spencer, and when he cried out with just a simple touch, Jackson took off the gloves and grabbed a different kind of flogger. This one was made of ribbons with different sizes, thicknesses, and sturdiness. The strands were not very long, and when he struck it made Spencer cry out as his back bowed from the pain.

Spencer was surprised at the sensation, but he was so overstimulated that anything used against him would have been painful. Jackson varied his strikes from light to hard, the flogger doing what it was designed to do, give him a different kind of stimulation because of the gloves. He started to beg, he wanted to come so bad that it hurt.

“Then cum, but don’t release.”

Aaron watched with shallow breath and pounding heart as Jackson worked Spencer over. He had never tried this type of play, just stimulating the nerves. It was intense to watch, and he almost started to sink into his own type of letting go. He had never gone into subspace himself, but he had been able to get to a kind of floating. When Spencer started screaming from what Jackson was doing Aaron wasn’t sure he was going to be able to hold on.

His eyes were so focused on Spencer that he didn’t see Jackson coming over to him. A hand fisted in his hair as he was kissed hard, a tongue thrust down his throat. Jackson pulled away after a moment and smiled.

“Stay with me, love. I promise it will all be worth it.”

Jackson moved away and went back to Spencer. This time he had some soft cashmere style gloves on and was standing behind Spencer. He caressed the flesh that was practically on fire from all the sensations.

“Please, Domine, please,” Spencer begged.

“What do you want, Little Dove,” Jackson slid his gloved hands over Spencer's hard cock making him thrust hard at the sudden sensation.

“I, I need, please I want to be fucked, please,” Spencer begged as he writhed under Jackson’s hands.

Jackson pulled away and first he released Aaron. Getting between his lover’s legs he sank to his knees and took Aaron’s cock in his mouth. Aaron moaned as he gripped the back of Jackson’s neck and held him there for a moment while he thrust up. Jackson pulled off, with a wicked look on his face. He grabbed the lube he had set aside and slicked up Aaron’s cock.

“Don’t touch.” Standing he went over to Spencer, but before releasing him, he slid a slick finger inside the younger man’s hole spreading the lube around. He quickly cleaned his hands with the cleaning cloths that were kept on a shelf by the toys. Then carefully he released Spencer from the bar and the chain. Holding the man up he walked over to Aaron.

“Sit on Aaron’s cock, but facing me.” Spencer was more than happy to oblige. It only took a moment for Spencer to slide down the hard cock.

“Fuck,” Aaron ground out through his teeth as Spencer seated himself fully.

“Hold his arms behind his back Aaron.” Spencer let his arms be manipulated as Aaron crossed his arms behind his back and pulled him against his chest. Strong arms wrapped around him as Jackson once again knelt between the legs of now both of the men. “Fuck that’s hot.” Jackson took Spencer’s cock in his mouth and started to bob, while Aaron made shallow thrusts inside him.

All the stimulation was almost too much and Spencer was near yelling his safeword for the first time in a very long time.

“Cum, Spencer, and don’t hold back,” Aaron’s command was a welcome relief as Spencer cried out when Jackson took his cock all the way into his mouth. Aaron had a grip on his hips and was thrusting inside him as Jackson stood.

“Cum for me Aaron,” Jackson whispered in Aaron’s ear. He thrust up once, twice and as he gripped Spencer’s thighs he bowed slightly as his eyes shut and he came inside his lover. “You’re both so very good to me tonight.” Jackson kissed both men before he helped Spencer up and laid him on the bed in the room. He walked back to Aaron and held out his hand for him. Taking it, Aaron let himself be led to the bed. “Hands and knees, I’m not done with you yet.”

Aaron complied. It didn’t take long for Jackson to slide his now slick cock inside Aaron. The cage had been taken off and flung to the side. He knew he wasn’t going to last very long as he dug his fingers into Aaron’s hips and fucked him hard and fast. When he came he collapsed on the bed, pulling Aaron into his arms.

Spencer cuddled up to Aaron, the three men entwined together fell into a light doze. About an hour later, Jackson was waking up his lovers to administer aftercare. He knew there needed to be more conversations between them, but for now, he knew they were going to take this time to see if they really did work together.

Aaron watched as Jackson slid into the large tub with Spencer, caring for him. He thought that he should be jealous, but he wasn’t. He enjoyed watching his lovers together much more than he thought he would have. He also knew they needed to talk through all of this. Their dynamic with each other was going to change, but he knew it was going to change for the better.

* * *

#  _Our World_

Spencer woke gently, to the feel of a hand tracing the tattoo on his back. Aaron was nestled in at his side, a beacon of warmth in the cool room. The blankets were pulled down to where the older man could see the tattoo. Spencer wondered exactly how long the man had been awake. Aaron had still been up when Spencer had got back from the club, it had settled him to know there was a place he could go to just relax. After the man had been thrown out, no one bothered him. Carlie had walked him out when he was ready to leave and described the pay system for members like himself. She even rode in his cab with him back to his apartment building, discussing the legalities of the hotel above and Spencer found out that he enjoyed talking to her.

Aaron obviously didn't realize Spencer was awake so Spencer stayed still and relaxed under the man's hands. Quiet moments like this were hard to come by in the other world. Spencer was enjoying just lounging. It was Sunday and a lazy morning in bed sounded good. Jessica was coming over around eight to pick up Jack and take him for the morning and a little bit of the afternoon so that he wasn't around for what Spencer was sure to be a big fight. He was going to be honest about everything. Everything.

Spencer felt upset that Morgan was the only one on the team to notice. In the other world, everyone who mattered had made the jump on their own. Morgan and a six-year-old. Spencer cleared his head, it wouldn't do to be upset at the moment. He shifted on the bed just slightly and Aaron's hand stilled as it was tracing one of the last lines of the last book. Spencer turned his head and looked at Aaron.

"Morning," Spencer said, his voice very rough with sleep. He smiled at Aaron before rolling over to look at the man fully. The cuffs were still on his wrists but not hooked to the bed, Aaron must have undone them after he had woke up. "How did you sleep?"

"Not well. I kept waking up and checking that you were here. Afraid you were a dream." Aaron leaned over him, staring into his eyes before he leaned down and kissed him. Spencer kissed him back, his own emotions all over the place. He hadn't once thought it was a dream. He'd slept perfectly, knowing he was home where he belonged. He'd just have to prove to Aaron that it was him, that he was here.

Reaching up, Spencer clasped the back of Aaron's head and held him there, kissing him harder and undulating up into his body. Spencer had kept boxers because it's what Aaron had kept on. After getting used to an Aaron that just snuggled up to him and wrapped an arm around him instead of holding him down with a leg as well, Spencer had slept fine.

"Is this okay?" Aaron asked as he fully straddled Spencer's body and pressed him down into the bed. Spencer nodded as he leaned up to kiss Aaron again. Silent, he'd have to remember to be silent. Aaron wanted this and Spencer wanted it to ease that guilt inside of him. Spencer let Aaron lose himself in his body. He rocked up into Aaron's body every time the man pressed him down. It was nice. He allowed himself to get lost in the sounds that Aaron was making as he took his pleasure. It was heady and Spencer found himself on edge before he knew it.

Spencer moaned when Aaron moved to kiss him again, he moaned.

"You look good like this," Aaron whispered again his lips before kissing him again. Aaron held him down, gripping his wrists and pressing them into the bed, tightening his legs, keeping Spencer where he wanted him. Spencer couldn't move, he couldn't escape. He didn't know what to feel.

"Aaron, please," Spencer begged. He tried to push up into Aaron's body again but he couldn't. He was totally at Aaron's mercy but he didn't give in. He kept trying. He pushed again and Aaron just tightened his legs more.

"Do you want to come, Spencer?" Aaron asked.

"Yes." Spencer moaned as Aaron tightened his hold on Spencer's wrists and stopped even Spencer's head from moving by pushing it into the pillow with the pressure of his kiss. Spencer was barely holding on. Aaron's body stiffened and he groaned into the kiss.

"Come," Aaron demanded when he pulled back to gasp for a breath. Spencer came on command and instead of the feeling of satisfaction and satiation that he normally had, he felt off. Spencer wasn't sure what he was feeling but he kissed Aaron when the man kissed him. Aaron's body became soft as it settled on top of Spencer, just when Spencer was about to tell him that he was having trouble breathing, Aaron slipped off of him to the side. Aaron tucked Spencer's head under his own and wrapped himself around him.

"I want to shower before Jack wakes up," Spencer said after Aaron said nothing for a few minutes. He was about to ask Aaron to join him but Aaron spoke first.

"You go ahead and shower. I'll do a little picking up in here."

"Okay," Spencer frowned as he slipped out of Aaron's hold and off the bed. He padded to the bathroom where he slipped off his underwear and wiped himself clean before tossing them in the hamper. He stepped into the shower and turned the water on full blast, not caring about the cold water. His mind was stuck on the fact that Aaron hadn't joined him. Hadn't wanted to even take care of him. As the water washed away the rest of the evidence of their coupling, Spencer buried all of his emotions about it. When he was done with the shower and dressed in an outfit of his from Aaron's closet, Spencer had his persona wrapped around him. The new him. The one that no one in the team would like too well.

Aaron had slipped into the shower as soon as Spencer had left the bathroom. Spencer checked on Jack and found the boy just waking up in bed. Jack rubbed his face into his pillow as his eyes opened. Spencer sat down on the bed and the boy opened his eyes to look at Spencer.

"Papa?" Jack asked.

"Good morning, Jackers."

"Good morning, Papa," Jack said as he closed his eyes again. His little arms tightened around the stuffed Vulpix in his arms and he smiled. "Can we cuddle?"

"Where do you want to cuddle?" Spencer asked but he shifted to where he could pick up Jack and carefully wrapped the blanket around the boy and stood up. Jack tucked his head under Spencer's chin.

"Reading chair."

"Okay, Jackers." Spencer stood up from the bed and made his way into the living room with ease. There was only a minor twinge in his knee but he ignored it. He wasn't overdoing it and he was going to make sure that he didn't. He learned his lesson the first time around and he had learned in the other world that showing weakness wasn't a weakness, it showed his trust in those around him to help him when he needed it.

Spencer settled down in the chair and nestled Jack into his body. The boy smiled up at him. He pulled the Vulpix tighter into his body and laid his legs over the arm of the chair.

"Read to me?" Jack asked.

"Sure. What story do you want?" Spencer looked at the bookshelf and saw that it was full of kids books, new and classics from every era over the past sixty years.

"We were going to work on..." Jack scrunched his face up as he thought. Spencer could see that he was deep in thought and it was so adorable. "It was something about rats and a lady."

" _Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of N.I.M.H.,"_ Spencer said and Jack nodded up and down fast. Spencer had read that book when he was a kid for a school project. He had read a lot farther into the story than his teachers had thought that he would. They had all been shocked but his mom hadn't. Still, the book wasn't too old for Jack. He knew the book well and started to recite it in a low tone to Jack.

Aaron came in a short while later and Spencer looked up at him and smiled. The look on Aaron's face, the near hunger was so close to what the other Aaron had used to look at him when he was bonding with the other Jack that Spencer felt hope. He had hope that they would figure this out and get into something that was damned good for both of them.

The knock on the door came and it startled Aaron as he was watching Spencer and Jack. Spencer wiggled Jack out of his lap and the boy giggled and ran after his father, dropping the blanket on the floor and the Vulpix as well.

"Aunt Jessica!" Jack cried out when Aaron opened the door. The boy rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Jessica's knees before pulling back and grabbing her hand to pull her into the apartment. "He came back!"

Jessica looked up at Spencer and smiled at him. He could see a happiness in Jessica eyes and relief. A lot of relief.

"Jessica?" Spencer asked.

"Welcome back, Spencer." Jessica allowed Jack to take him all the way up to Spencer. She leaned down and kissed Spencer's cheek. "He didn't look at me like you do, he almost hated me. I noticed it right after that explosion and while I might not be techy at all, I wasn't going to do a damned thing to make him upset. Sometimes when he didn't think that anyone was looking, he looked so cold and so scary. I kept my mouth shut because he was so good with Jack and I knew that you knew. You had to know."

"I didn't. Not until later," Aaron admitted.

"Oh." Jessica looked shocked but she sat down on the arm of his chair and he leaned over a little bit, resting his head on her side. This was normal and he'd missed Jessica a great deal. Jack crawled back into Spencer's lap. "I'm happy to have you back either way."

"The team is coming over later and we are laying it all out on the line," Aaron said.

"They didn't notice either?" Jessica looked at Aaron shocked.

"No," Spencer said shaking his head.

"He was damned good at manipulation and I have a habit of pushing people away, he probably played up on all of that. Don't feel bad, he probably saw you as a nonentity. Didn't care much or think much about you at all, much to his probable dismay at finding out that you realized."

"So what are you thinking with the team? How are they going to take it?"

"That's what we asked you here for. To take Jack for the rest of the morning and the early afternoon. After the team discussion, if JJ still talks to me, she'll have Will pick her up and drop off Henry so that he and I can spend the afternoon together. I was thinking Jack might want to hang out as well. Just the three of us for dinner." Spencer sighed as Jessica ruffled his hair, her hand didn't pull up though and Spencer enjoyed the feel of a hand in his hair. Aaron wasn't paying them any attention as he moved towards the kitchen to start breakfast.

"So..." Jessica seemed a little lost but before she could say anything else, Jack grabbed his blanket and his stuffed Vulpix, making for his bedroom. "The other Spencer never wore this around me."

Jessica's hand moved to her own neck briefly and Spencer nodded.

"I think he wore it a lot but hide it. Aaron is a little bit...upset at the loss of his so suddenly so I've not brought him up unless I have to."

"Well, as you can tell the other Spencer pushed forward with forcing Aaron to allow him around Jack. I think that there was a fight because Aaron was surly for a few days and then all of a sudden it was different. He was different. I've snooped of course and I am sure that Aaron knows that but he didn't realize that I knew it was a different Spencer. I was looking for things that would throw a red flag about his want to be around Jack but after I really watched him after that it was all fatherly. A fatherly way that I never saw you doing before. I see you now though and it's good."

"Jack, the other Jack forced me to learn. He was ten. He showed me that it wasn't so much about doing everything right and perfect but about doing what felt right. I needed that."

"So I only heard a few whispers and a few things from Aaron but the other Spencer called out the team on how they thought about you and kids. Something about JJ wanting you to watch Henry and Garcia and Morgan weren't..." Jessica trailed off.

"They weren't the most supportive and were downright mean?" Spencer asked.

"Yes."

"I did a lot of introspection in my time in the other world and I think that none of them are going to be ready for the man that I have become."

Jessica smiled and kissed his cheek. She rubbed briefly at it and Spencer smiled at her.

"I have missed you these last six months, Spencer. Maybe next weekend we can get out for a lunch."

"I'd love that."

Jack came back into the room, dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Spencer smiled at him, he'd dressed in clothes that matched about as well as Spencer's own socks. He looked adorable and the look on Jessica's face said that she thought the same. Spencer wondered what Aaron's reaction to it would be. Jack took Jessica over to where Jack's toys were and showed her some of his new ones, so Spencer stood up to help Aaron cook breakfast and to get a cup of coffee.

Breakfast was easy in a way that shocked Spencer. He hadn't expected for it to be that with how hard everything else was. Jessica talked about how her job was changing and she was still available to watch Jack some of the time.

"It's good that the offices are done then. Spencer's office renovation is mostly done, the secure line to Grimes Tech servers for the database need to be finalized but there is no more construction. Jack's little corner in Spencer's office is done as well, in both offices. So if needed, Jack can come to work now."

"YAY!" Jack did a little wiggle dance in his chair but was careful to not upset his food. He looked really happy and Spencer saw right there and then why Aaron had actually taken the job as Section Chief. Jack and Spencer. The loss of him so close to being something had rocked Aaron's world, even if he only found out after, and it had made him reevaluate everything. He wasn't so much sacrificing what made him happy but choosing to be happy with something that was life changing.

A chime from Spencer's phone had him standing up and moving out of the kitchen. It wasn't a sound that he had heard his new phone make at all and he found a text from Jackson. Spencer blushed as the picture of the man that popped up beside his name made Spencer think of that night in Atlantic City. His body remembered how he had felt that night and his nerves felt like they were on fire.

Do you have time for a fifteen-minute consult with NYC director of the server farm and the first data imputer?

_Yes. Give me five minutes._

Spencer moved back into the kitchen. Jessica was laughing as Jack talked about something that had happened at school.

"I need to do a quick consult with New York server farm manager."

"Oh, Jackson finally found one?" Aaron asked. The look on his face said that he had said that for Spencer more than anything else.

"It seems."

"Well, your standards were high and Jackson is having trouble wooing some of the people away." Aaron smiled as he talked and Spencer smiled back at him. Spencer was glad that he'd made sure to get all caught up on everything he had with him at home. He'd have to see about going into the office to do some work, maybe after Henry went home and he took Jack back to Aaron. Sunday night would be dead and he'd not be looked at weird for acting like he knew he would be. He'd be back at work the next morning and needed to have his way around known to himself.

Spencer left the apartment and went to his. He found the laptop and as soon as it was up, Jackson's face came up and a little picture of himself was there as well. Spencer sat down on the couch so he could be comfortable.

"You are entirely too dressed for a lazy Sunday."

"I have a meeting with the team in a little bit so I dressed to impress."

Jackson looked at Spencer, reading his face it seemed. This Spencer was going into blind. He had no frame of reference. Spencer reached up to touch the collar, a grounding tactic he'd picked up after the other Aaron had punished him. His eyes widened at the look on Jackson's face.

"I wondered back in Atlantic City. So Hotch is your boss and your Dom." Jackson wrote something down on a piece of paper. "So when vacations happen, husband and child with. Where do you fall on the scale?"

"Masochist but Aaron isn't..." Spencer closed his mouth. He wasn't sure what to call Aaron because Sadist wasn't it. The other had very much been a Sadist but his Aaron.

"I just need to update your medical a little. You were willing to change doctors from the FBI main one to one of mine. I know a doctor in the area that lives the lifestyle as well. She is lovely and sweet to her patients and her Sub is her business partner. He is a gynecologist. Which you won't need. Are you okay with going with her?"

"Yes." Spencer practically blurted it. Jackson looked at him and frowned.

"I'll deal with New York, Spencer. I want to talk to you, in person. Can we meet tonight? I can be in DC at seven." Jackson was on his phone typing away as he spoke.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I just want to discuss a few things in person. A mutual friend reached out to me worried."

"Tonight doesn't work."

"Wednesday. I'm in DC anyway. We can do lunch and do some work in the afternoon. I have already cleared getting in and out of Quantico with the DOJ. I can meet you at your office."

"I have an errand Wednesday at lunch but if you don't mind going with me to Georgetown."

"I don't mind at all. Okay. I am scheduled to land at ten. I'll go right to Quantico and you can show me this office I've been hearing so much about. I can meet the rest of your team and then we can work the afternoon. Your secretary has already marked you down as in office all week. Yearly review time and some kind of check on Morgan being the UC is what she has. Have I said how much I adore your secretary? I don't know where Hotch found her but she's a peach. I can't wait to meet her in person."

"Jackson, are you sure everything is fine?"

"Yes. I just realized that you need to relax and you have the team coming and I can handle New York. Clinton is being a bear and I don't want to spoil your Sunday." Jackson wasn't being wholly truthful but Spencer was going to let it slide for now. He wanted to get back to Jack and Jessica so that they wouldn't leave before he got back.

"Okay. I plan to be in the office early. Going in with Aaron. So if you need me after six, call me there."

"Will do. Have a good day, Spencer." Jackson's face disappeared from the screen and Spencer leaned back to lay his head on the back of the couch.

A small knock sounded on his door and before he could call out it was opening. Soft feet sounded across the carpet and then Jack was peeking around at him from behind the couch.

"All done, Papa?"

"Yes, I am. You and Aunt Jess leaving?"

"We are. She found a movie at that old theater that's playing. Then we are going to go to lunch and she said we are going to eat food that is horrible for us."

Spencer laughed and Jack smiled at him. Spencer though saw a little bit of unhappiness in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"No one is going to be here to protect you and Dad."

"Jack, no one on the team is going it hurt us. I just don't want you to hear any fighting. There is going to be a lot of strong emotions and you don't need that. It's our right to protect you from things like that."

Jack scrambled up onto the couch and tucked himself into Spencer's side. Spencer wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulder and gave him a half hug.

"Go with your aunt and have fun. By the time you come back, Henry will be here for you to play with."

"Okay." Jack hugged Spencer from the side quickly then scampered off the couch and ran around it to leave. Spencer turned his head to see Jessica standing at the door. She smiled and waved before shutting the door. Spencer knew he needed to get up and go over to Aaron's. He looked around his apartment and felt nothing for it. It wasn't even that it wasn't his old apartment but that he really just didn't feel anything for it as a place to hang his hat, as it were, or as a place to sleep. He moved to the bedroom and took in the sheets on the bed. One of the older, worn sets. He went to the closet and found that none of his nicer ones were in there. All of his older ones were there. He didn't think that the other Spencer would have thrown away the nicer, newer ones and kept the older ones so he figured that the sheets were at Aaron's.

A check of the cabinets had a few shelf stable items and a few snack foods that when sealed stayed good a while but there was no evidence other than the office that Spencer lived there. Spencer didn't know how he felt about that. Before going to the other world, he hadn't lived with someone since he'd moved out of the home when he had gone to Cal-Tech. He had gone back for visits and weekends but his dorm room was his. He'd been granted the room from the moment he'd moved there and the Dean hadn't forced him to leave considering that he went to school year round. When he'd turned eighteen, he'd got an apartment just off campus.

As Spencer looked around he realized that he didn't want to sleep alone. He didn't want to feel the silence creep in on him anymore. He wanted the chaos of a six-year-old boy who was too alive for his own good. He wanted the noise of Aaron's puttering around because there were days he just couldn't sit down when they weren't working. Spencer grabbed the laptop and found a bag for it. He packed up the charging cable and the purple mouse. He found a portable scanner in the bag and a handwritten note that when on cases, the other Spencer took the laptop and the tablet. He left the laptop in the hotel room and carried the tablet with him everywhere. For working on during food breaks, or just to give his mind something else to focus on if the case was hard. Spencer liked that idea.

A knock on his apartment door startled him. He finished closing up the bag and shouldered it before crossing to the door. There was JJ and Will. Spencer was a little shocked at Will being there. Spencer stepped back to allow them to enter. JJ was looking at him a little weird but she wasn't saying anything.

"Where's Henry?" Spencer asked as he shut the door, he didn't want the neighbors to hear anything.

"Will was dropping me off and we saw Jessica. She all but absconded with Henry, stating that Will might want to be here for what is coming. She seems to know a lot of what we are here for. Morgan wasn't shocked when I called him."

"Morgan was here yesterday, which prompted this meeting. I don't want to do this more than once." Spencer reopened the door and ushered them out. He didn't knock on Aaron's door but came right in. JJ and Will were early but he wouldn't be shocked if the others were as well. Aaron didn't invite people over, ever.

"Spencer, I figured-" Aaron stopped when he saw Spencer wasn't alone. "JJ, Will, welcome. I was just about to head to the store, Will, want to go help me grab enough for food everyone?"

"Sure." Will kissed the side of JJ's cheek and moved back towards the door. Aaron stopped in front of Spencer and cupped the side of his face before kissing him on the lips. Spencer was shocked at the outward display of affection. Aaron was demonstrative with Jack, that was a given but Spencer had never thought he'd be that way with him. As Aaron pulled back, Spencer pressed back in, making Aaron smile but he allowed the kiss.

"Be back soon with food for the masses," Aaron said as he stepped away from Spencer. The man's eyes flicked down to the collar and Spencer reached up and kind of freaked out. JJ's eyes were on the collar as Aaron and Will left. Spencer had wanted to button up his shirt all the way so it wouldn't be the first thing seen.

"You don't want to talk until everyone is here but Spence, Will saw you three weeks ago."

"Okay?" Spencer had no exact frame for what happened three weeks ago.

"Will was on a stakeout for a drug dealer and saw you come out of La Mort. He didn't recognize Hotch at first until he was done slipping you into the cab. He said you looked drugged. I almost went to you when he got home but he told me what the club was. I just want to know you are safe."

"Why didn't you ask before this?"

"Because Will told me to calm down and do research. So I did and this is me calm and sisterly."

"I'm safe, JJ."

"Is that why Hotch goes with you?"

"I-" Spencer stopped and closed his mouth. He hadn't asked Aaron if he wanted the whole team to know that aspect. "JJ, think about it. Why I go there."

"Yes." JJ looked bewildered.

Spencer sighed. She was that small town, narrow viewed woman that she had been at the start.

"Who goes to a club like that?"

"Dominants and Submissives."

"I'm a?"

"Submissive."

"So Aaron is a?"

JJ gasped and looked shocked. A knock at the door had Spencer leaving her there and going towards it. Alex was on the other side and Spencer, happy to see her, _his_ Alex, he hugged her. Just getting off the elevator behind her was Rossi and Morgan. Spencer smiled at them. Rossi smiled back but Morgan didn't. Spencer felt a kernel of fear in his stomach. Alex brushed past him when she pulled out of the hug and allowed him to greet Morgan and Rossi. He wanted Alex there for himself. The other Spencer had said that she knew of the basics of the relationship.

"Hotch ran to the store for food," JJ said as she took a seat on the couch. Alex took a seat beside her and Morgan the other. Rossi raised an eyebrow at the fact that Morgan didn't greet Spencer. When Rossi got a good look at Spencer, though, his eyes widened.

"And alcohol right?" Rossi asked, taking a seat in one of the two armchairs. Spencer sat on the arm of the other. That left the love seat for Prentiss and Garcia.

"There is a little bit of bourbon and brandy but it's the morning still and I don't think that any sort of mood changers are needed, even if it is to calm down."

"You sound all doom and gloom, Spencer," Alex said.

"There is a lot to talk about and I want to wait for everyone to be here before we do." Spencer stood up and moved to the kitchen to grab a chair. He set it down in the space between the couch and the chair that Spencer and Aaron were going to be sitting in. He hoped Will picked it and not Prentiss.

The silence in the room was deafening and Rossi and Alex were getting more uncomfortable as the minutes ticked by. Morgan stared at his hands and JJ was unashamedly looking around, obviously seeing Spencer everywhere.

"Where's Jack?" Rossi asked.

"With Jessica and Henry," Spencer answered.

"So planning for screaming?"

"Yes."

The sound of the door opening had Spencer standing up. Will was in front with Aaron behind. They both had two bags of groceries. Behind them were Prentiss and Garcia.

"Let me and Will put everything up then we can talk," Aaron called out to the room. Garcia and Prentiss moved past Spencer and thankfully took a seat on the couch. Spencer sought refuge in the kitchen. He was feeling unsure about everyone knowing the particulars of the relationship. He wanted them to know but it was all so much so quick. Aaron set down his two bags and grabbed Spencer, pulling him close. Spencer tucked his face into Aaron's neck and breathed deeply. Spencer wanted to ask for the leash. He knew there had to be one for the collar but he didn't want to at the same time. It felt wrong, asking. He didn't know how to and he didn't want to upset Aaron, not with the team there. So Spencer took a few deep breaths and then exhaled before stepping back. Will was carrying an armful of water bottles.

"I'll go back out," Spencer muttered as Aaron moved to put up the meats and cheeses in the fridge. Will had taken the chair, Spencer found when he entered the living room. The silence was still there and Spencer wasn't sure if it was him and the collar or the situation. He settled on the arm of the chair and waited.

"Hen's looking forward to spending the afternoon with you," Will said. Spencer just smiled at him. "What do you have planned?"

"I don't know. Depends on what he and Jack want to do."

"There is this new place a block from us. Henry had been dying to go. Sure he'd love to go with you and Jack." Will smiled at Spencer and he smiled back even bigger."

"That sounds fun. What kind of place?"

"Games and a ball pit."

"That's where I'll take them then. Dinner and then I'll drop Henry off at home." Spencer smiled at Will, even brighter than before. He wasn't sure if JJ and Will would actually let him take Henry after what they were going to find out but at least he would take Jack. The boy would love it and Spencer would like the one on one time, with or without Henry.

Aaron entered the living room and sat down in the chair that Spencer was sitting on the arm of. Spencer wasn't sure if he needed to start talking or if Aaron was or if even Morgan was going start everything. Spencer opened his mouth to start talking when he felt Aaron's hand on his outer hip. It settled there. Spencer watched as every eye in the room settled on that, except for Will who was seemingly waiting for something to happen.

Prentiss looked the most freaked out. Her eyes kept going from Aaron's hand to Spencer's throat and back, over and over.

"And exactly how long on this?" Rossi asked.

"That's a little hard to explain," Aaron said. His hand tightened on Spencer's hip, just enough that it helped Spencer settled down. "Do you want to start?"

"Six months ago, I was in the explosion at Georgetown and when I woke up I was in a bed, cuffed at my hands and a collar around my neck."

"Reid, you woke up in a Georgetown hospital and we were all there," Garcia pointed out. She looked freaked out.

"No, a different Spencer woke up in the hospital in Georgetown. I woke up in his bed, in his world, with his Dom."

"What?"

"The science behind it all is really above your heads. But to sum it up that explosion basically rip a hole in our universe and briefly, he and I were connected. When it closed, we were in the wrong universes. He woke up in a hospital bed in Georgetown, freaked out and I woke up in his bed in DC, severely freaked out."

Garcia looked at Aaron for a few seconds before she looked back at Spencer. The room was silent.

"He's telling the truth," Morgan said. Eyes moved to him and Morgan just shrugged. "I was here yesterday. This Reid and the Reid I talked to Friday are very different."

"How are you so sure and so believing?" Rossi asked.

"Easy, I confronted Reid Friday night about how weird he's been acting and I wanted to talk to him about talking Hotch into coming back. I was menacing and he put me on my ass in very few moves and when I didn't relent, that Reid popped my shoulder out of place."

Everyone in the room was uncomfortable, except Will. They were shifting in their seats, not looking at Spencer. Garcia looked near tears.

"He told me to come by at nine yesterday to talk. I came early and our Reid was upset that I did. I could tell that something was wrong when I showed up. Reid was upset but he wasn't scary like the one from the night before. They were honest after a while and I didn't believe at first but then-" Morgan looked at Spencer. "Those scars from Cindi's case are gone. Every single one of them. We all saw them and they are gone."

"Some time in the night between Friday and Saturday, Spencer swapped back," Aaron said as his grip on Spencer's hip changed from hard to soft and it pulled on him. Aaron didn't stop pulling until Spencer was in his lap, with his legs draped over where he'd just been sitting. The position felt wonderful on Spencer's knee, which had been aching. Aaron's hand went to it and started to rub gently. "But we are getting ahead of ourselves. In the months leading up to the swap, Spencer and I had been dancing around a relationship."

"Aaron asked me on a date before I left work that day and I went to Georgetown. The explosion happened and he never knew the man he took home wasn't me."

"How did we not know?" Prentiss asked.

"I'm sure that any red flags thrown in the first few days, everyone chocked up to the explosion and aftereffects and recovering. After that, willful ignorance." Spencer wasn't going to pull punches. The looks of indignation on the team's face showed that they didn't like it but before they could say anything else, Spencer went on. "He lived here for six months and only Morgan caught on. It took Aaron over three months. My sponsor figured it out the first time he actually met with the other Spencer. Take guess how long it took my mother?"

"I-I-I-" JJ stuttered. She snapped her mouth shut, pouting a little.

"The first time she saw him on TV following the switch. I didn't know that Bennington kind of kept tabs on me and recorded things like that for her. But she knew from a thirty second, nonverbal TV spot."

No one said anything. Aaron's hand moved up to his neck and squeezed. Spencer closed his mouth.

"Needless to say, things aren't good." Aaron leaned in close. "Quit being hostile," he whispered in Spencer's ear.

Spencer turned to look at him, glaring. "No. I won't. Did I stop being hostile with you yesterday?" Spencer asked.

"No," Aaron admitted. His hand didn't leave Spencer's neck but he kept his mouth shut.

"Alex, you've not been here for any of it but given that things are going to be a little awkward for awhile, I figured that it was better to have you here."

"I agree as coming into work and finding you upset at everyone and them likewise with you, I wouldn't like it. Although I think that you have a steadfast supporter there beside you."

Spencer looked at Aaron and back at her with a frown on her face but she wasn't looking at him or Aaron, she was looking at Will.

"I'm just sitting here listening," Will said when he realized that Alex was looking at him.

"But you want to speak," Alex pointed out.

"Oh, I'll say my bit when it's all said and done." Will smiled at her before he relaxed back in his chair.

"Aaron has, of course, told me about Gideon, Strauss, and my father. Two of those deaths didn't shock me at all." Spencer turned slightly so that his bad leg was still propped but he was looking more at the room, his other leg braced on the floor, not on the arm of the chair. "He told me his reasons for everything that he did in the six months that I was gone, including him taking the position as Section Chief and the other Spencer pressured him into not revealing it all, for Spencer's own reasons more than anything else. Before we can go into anything about the decision to keep you all in the dark, you need to understand him and the life he lived before coming here."

"You said you were in bed with his Dom," Rossi said. His knowing eyes were on Aaron's hand on the back of Spencer's neck. "That couldn't have gone over well at all."

"No. The man knew instantly that I wasn't his Pet. His nickname for Spencer that Spencer picked out. The world that Spencer lived in was nothing like this one. Our lives split when his mother watched the death of the man who killed Riley Jenkins. Her schizophrenia turned violent with that violence and when William left when he was ten, Spencer was the only receptacle of her paranoia and violence. One day, Diana took Spencer with her when she went to William's office. I wasn't paying too close to the reason that she had gone there as I was horrified by so much else but while she was there, she sealed her death. Spencer caught the eye of a man who could tell everything that was wrong in just a few minutes in the room with Diana and Spencer. He forced William to tell him where his ex-wife and son were living. That night, Diana went deep into a delusion and attacked Spencer with a knife. The man broke down the door and used that same knife to slice her throat. Days later when that man left Vegas, he took Spencer with him as a ward."

"You keep on calling him the man, never more than that," Garcia said.

"Because that man is someone that we know," Rossi said as he looked at Spencer, trying to figure him out. "You used to be easy to read and then it changed. Now I can't even read you at all. Who was that man, Reid?"

"His life was a lot different but I can't figure out the exact point of separation but you basically called him a son in that world before you left the BAU. To reign in his psychopathy and try and make him a better man after his father had set his life on the track it was on, you turned his eye to BDSM. I never asked what you thought of his relationship with Spencer but once he had his eyes on Spencer, there was no hope for anything but a life with him. While he was adamant that nothing was actually sexual until Spencer turned eighteen, he shaped Spencer's lovemap from the second he had him in his control. Spencer had no hope of ever not being what he was shaped to be.

"Spencer's Dom had a good success with another young man but he was Dominant and Spe-"

"Just say it," Morgan said.

Spencer turned to look at the dark-skinned agent.

"I didn't tell you any of this yesterday, Morgan. Water was a good choice for everyone because it's not going to hurt coming back up. The first morning that I was there, I saw the protege Dom myself. I watched him as he came in with a young man who wasn't of legal age. Due to the trauma that was done to him as a teenager, he wasn't able to not be changed by it. Do you want to know the whole truth of it all Morgan? How that version of you is an ephebophile? I never asked what his sexual preference as far as the sex of his partners but I saw him with two men. I think that he'll not stray from his Sub as he's wholly invested in him."

Morgan looked at Spencer like he wasn't understanding the words that came out of his mouth.

"Do I need to-" Spencer stopped when Morgan ran from the room, towards the bathroom. Garcia was on his heels. Spencer could hear whispers.

"Was that really necessary?" Aaron asked.

"I was going to tell him nicely but he had to interrupt me. So yes. And we are waiting for him to come back."

"I am assuming that we are all there?" Alex asked.

Spencer looked at her, he knew that she felt motherly to him, and he wasn't sure if it would help or hurt, knowing about Ethan. He had to get the research wrote down and help to direct this world into finding the same cure that the other did.

"In some way." Spencer slipped off of Aaron's lap and moved to where she was. Leaning over to hug her, Spencer whispered in her ear. "You would have been proud of the man he became and I'm going to make sure that no more children die."

Alex wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Thank you." When she let Spencer go, he stood up and wiped the tears that were falling from her eyes.

"I'll get in touch with the doctors. Get all the research on it. Do it all right."

"Reid?" Prentiss asked.

"Nothing to worry about, Prentiss. Just personal between Alex and I. You don't need to know it." Spencer gave her a look that said the discussion was over and she thankfully nodded. Aaron was shifting on the chair but Spencer sat back down on the arm of the chair.

"I'll keep my mind to myself, Reid," Morgan said as he stepped back into the room. Garcia was on his heels but she wasn't looking at Spencer.

"Good. I was trained by the same person who trained that Spencer. It's funny. He was able to get me to where I can take down people. I could probably go through the academy again and not have to have passed. I wonder if that's the difference. If Aaron had been there to save you from yourself at a younger age. Derek was a damned good teacher."

"I raised him?" Rossi asked.

"More like shaped. You got him too late for any real raising but yes, you and-" Spencer knew that Gideon was the elephant in the room. Gideon was always the elephant in the room. "Because of Aaron and his psychopathy, Gideon left you and Aaron. You were very much an omnisexual lothario, even with cheek scar. You had men and women in your bed every single night. I think that Aaron disrupted you in the middle of a fivesome at one point but I never got an actual answer other than you were an adult. He was very much of the same mind that he didn't like my inquisitiveness. He lived in the mansion so the other Spencer probably knew more about his comings and goings that Dave wanted."

"I lived with Aaron?" Rossi asked.

"Yes. I don't know how long that had gone on but he had his own wing and he did have an apartment for his more...risque partners or ones that he didn't want Aaron to know about, or he didn't want Aaron to have to share the knowledge that he knew. I don't think that anything happened in DC without Aaron knowing. Aaron was powerful and he made sure that everyone knew it."

"Psychopathy?" Alex asked.

"Aaron fell more on that end while the Spencer that was here was more sociopathic. He was good at hiding it because if the US had an It Couple it was Aaron Hotchner, Esquire and his law assistant Doctor Spencer Reid. The first press conference that I had to do with Aaron nearly turned into a discussion on our home life and not the young man it was supposed to be about. I think the whole damned country is going to faint when Aaron finally puts a ring on Spencer's finger. Spencer wears the collar publicly and no one is shocked by that aspect of their relationship. Aaron though has a lot of control of everything in DC."

"What about me?" Prentiss asked.

"Your mother slipped you into Aaron's household as a spy just like Strauss did on the team but it failed your mother worse than it did Strauss. In fact, one of the first times you were mentioned, you were teaching Jack to shoot."

"Shoot?"

"He's ten in that world and yes, shoot. Whatever Aaron helped you with had to be pretty big as not a lot of people ever got access to Jack. Haley tried to kidnap him as a baby. She was a groupie of sorts and Aaron picked her to have his kid. She was seduced away by Foyet and tried to kidnap Jack. Aaron killed her for it. Aaron loves two people in that world and it's Jack and Spencer. I'm not even sure that what he feels for Dave can be called love. He is fond of Dave. I think that when Gideon left, he screwed up Aaron's ability to feel love for a parental figure. I could write paper after paper dissecting that Aaron. JJ was closer to you but she was colder. No Henry lost in the womb and no Will. The file states he was killed in an operation for the New Orleans Police Department but no actual connection was found. I did find that Aaron's assassin was in town at that time and I fairly certain that he killed him for leaving JJ. All of Aaron's dealings were only locked in Spencer's head."

"And me?" Garcia asked.

"Tamer. Less pure and darker. The other Spencer didn't like you at all. I didn't have much contact with your counterpart but yeah, she was sweet." Spencer didn't want to be vicious to her but he knew that the other Spencer had written down all of his daydreams about killing her. Torturing her. He found that he himself wasn't going to let her get away with even half the stuff she tried to get away with before when it came to him. Of course, most of that was finding someone for him to love for his own good. He wasn't happy with her at all.

"You've never called me sweet." Garcia pouted.

"I've never had a reason to. I haven't always liked you. I don't like how you treat me and how you push into everyone's lives. I hate the fact that after the whole ordeal between Anthrax and then my knee, all you gave me was a sucker. Aaron got cookies when he came back to work but my first day back, I didn't even get welcome back. What happened to Aaron sucked horribly being attacked and then losing Jack and Haley to WitSec but I was in pain too and no one cared."

"Reid, I'm..."

"I don't want to hear an I'm Sorry from you or anyone. It's too late. Have you ever tried to figure out why I don't want case files on a tablet? Why I want things printed out? No one has ever asked."

"You hate them," Garcia said.

"No. I don't hate technology. Yes, I mainly use my work email for everything but that is because it's easier to keep track of one instead of three. I don't need a personal and my FBI one looks good as a professional one. I have a degree in engineering. You guys do understand I didn't make models for it out of sticks, right? I had to use a computer. I retain printed words better than words on a screen. My mind processes them better which is what I am here for. To do my job to the best of my ability." Spencer felt Aaron's hand land on his back, rubbing and trying to keep him calm but it wasn't really helping. He was too worked up. Aaron didn't try and stop him, though. "No one says a thing when Garcia needs to get a new bit of software that allows her to do her job better yet when I want to read a case file I am called a Luddite or a technophobe. Rossi has never said one word and he even printed out his last manuscript for me to read before he sent it off, because he at least tries to understand that aspect of me. He fails in other aspects but never that."

There was silence again and Spencer was on a roll and he didn't want to stop. Spencer snagged Aaron's water because he wasn't sure exactly where he had set his. He drank half of it.

"I know that I am a joke to everyone, Gideon's protege that never would have got into the FBI without him but obviously he felt that I was needed." Spencer paused when it looked like JJ was going to say something. He glared at her and she shut her mouth.

"In my tenure here at the FBI, did you know that in the non-field agent departments, the science and geek ones as the 'real' agents call them have gone up over twenty IQ points. The overall IQ base of the whole of the FBI has gone up ten points. People like Charlie Epps and I are coming into the FBI and proving that intelligence is the new sexy. I know the brass sends me on those recruitment seminars because they want to draw more people like me. I might not be able to bust down a door on my own and I might not be able to chase an UnSub for five miles but I give all that I have to this team, sometimes to the detriment of myself. Just to be called life-like, a robot, and egghead. I read over what the other Spencer thought on the team's reaction when I was announced as the FBI head of the joint project with Grimes Tech. He even heard the comment about how I wouldn't know what to do with all the money I was going to be getting other than buying more books.

"I buy books that mean something to me. That make me feel something or remind me of someone. The rest I get from libraries or colleges. I buy more books for mom than I do myself. I buy more things for Henry and now Jack than I do myself. I never cared about clothes, just wore what I liked that looked professional until I realized that the cases where I wore a suit, even my coworkers treated me with more respect. So I started to change my clothes. The other Spencer forced the issue and donated all of my old clothes and bought suits. There are always going to be the LEOs that look at me and dismiss me. They will see Doctor and think that I'm not a real agent but the number who think that goes down when my team treats me with respect as well." Spencer inhaled and exhaled, feeling better than he had in a long time. He looked at the faces of his team and saw a lot of emotions across them. Alex and Rossi had pride. Garcia and Prentiss shock and disbelief. Morgan was just broke. JJ though looked at him with love.

"All I ever asked for was trust and honesty. I trust my team and other than drug-induced lying, I never lied. I never learned how to ask for help because growing up that would have meant being ripped from mom and it wouldn't have done either of us good. Aaron was the only one who helped me post-Hankel. I never blamed you, Prentiss, because you were so new that even if you had come over to help, I wouldn't have allowed it. I asked for two things and that's why I was hurt when Prentiss's death was faked. But instead of talking to me about it, you were gone," Spencer said as he looked at JJ. "That police station was the only time you ever really tried to talk to me. You ignored my texts. If it was my ability to keep a secret, no one in Vegas or at Cal-Tech ever figured out that mom was as bad as she was. But none of you thought about that. How I was able to make sure that I wasn't taken from mom, through getting into Cal-Tech at the age of twelve almost thirteen. There are a lot of home visits and meetings to make sure that I could handle living away from mom. Social workers and therapists. For eight years no one knew that mom was that she was that bad. After mom's first week at Bennington, Doctor Norman called me. He wanted to congratulate me and yell at me for being able to hide how bad she was. She should have been put in Bennington when I was thirteen."

"Spence, I'm sorry. I...want to talk to you alone. Talk about things that the other you and I talked about. We can do it whenever you are ready," JJ stood up and moved over to sit on Will's lap. She leaned over and hugged Spencer. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

"So I know that this has all been cathartic but I want to get back to the topic of the sociopathic serial killer assassin who killed me who has been living here for six months." Will sounded dead serious and when Spencer pulled out of JJ's hug to look at him, he saw disbelief on everyone else's faces.

"I think, Will. I think you are the only one to but those pieces together," Aaron said.

"What?"

"The other Aaron trained Spencer to be his perfect assassin. He was even trained in Japan in some of those arts. He killed the men associated with Ford. He killed Strauss's family and pinned that on Curtis before killing Strauss. He killed my father and he killed Gideon. That one I am still not sure if it was more for me or for himself. I think he wants to kill the Gideon of his world but won't because Aaron would be very upset. So he used this Gideon as a surrogate. The other Gideon lives off of a feeding tube in the basement of the mansion with only really Dave as a contact. After he tried to lie to get Spencer away from Aaron. I visited him and said my piece to him so that once I came home, I'd never think of him again." Spencer turned to look at Aaron asking the silent question. Aaron nodded. "He also killed AD Richmond. Because John was my sponsor and after Gideon's death and the delayed notification on my father, he felt I should have gone running to a meeting but never did. Spencer killed him purely for his own sake."

"He did all that?"

"Failure wasn't an option and while the other Aaron never said a word about it, his only thought was getting him back and so I am sure that Spencer would have done anything to make sure that he came back to his Aaron alive."

"I thought for a little I that he was suicidal and he told me he wasn't that he never would be as long as there was hope that he would get back to his Aaron and his Jack." Aaron pulled Spencer into his lap again, wrapping his arm around his waist and holding him close. "I believe that if I had become a danger to his ability to get back or even just live, he would have killed me as well. I think that only Henry and Jack would have been safe in that regard. He was manipulative, and he lied to get what he wanted. Given the full breadth of what he had gone through as a kid and a teenager, before the other Aaron taking him, I'm shocked he was able to hide for so long."

"It was his will that kept him as level as he was. He kept himself sane, even before going to La Mort." Will had his arm around JJ's waist, holding her in place, Spencer saw more than anything.

"What?" Aaron asked.

"Saw you two leaving that place. Coming in here today and seeing the collar around Spencer's neck. New Orleans has it all and nothing shocks me. One of my first days on the job as a Dom in a roid rage. He killed his Sub and then had started on anyone in the streets. He never made it to trial, killed himself when he came down from it. After seeing you two together like that and then JJ telling me about you taking the Section Chief job. I am not shocked by the change of events like the others. I have an outsider's look at you all. I see the small changes easier because I don't see you all daily. I got to see Spencer changing as he and Hotch danced around each other. I saw a dramatic change in him after the explosion but it was life changing. He survived and it would have changed him but I also knew there was something deeper. Then seeing him and Hotch leaving the BDSM club, seeing Hotch and the way he cared for that Spencer. I thought I was seeing the reason for the changes. I am no less shocked than y'all about the actual reason for it all but while what that Spencer did while here was damning and it rocks all of our worlds, we can't hold that against him. Ourselves for not seeing it but not Spencer."

"I don't think I have ever heard you say that much in a week," Spencer said, trying to lighten the mood. His and Aaron's relationship, or whatever they were needed to be discussed. Emotions were high and while Spencer felt lighter for what he had said, he knew his words were weighing heavy on the others.

"I am a man of few words." Will smiled at him before he took a drink of his own bottle of water.

"I don't understand the want of a relationship or a lifestyle like you two seem to have but then I don't understand looking at another male body and feeling arousal. I can't pass judgment on someone for something that makes them happy as long as it doesn't hurt someone else. I just need time to accept and get my own head on right," Morgan said. He smiled at Spencer. "You have my blessing, as long as I don't ever see office sex."

"I've tried since a year after your divorce to get you to date again. You are more invested in this team as a family than I ever was. I'm not shocked that you fell in love with one. That it's Reid should shock me but it doesn't. You two have been on this wave from the moment I joined the team. Your trust in him is huge and you never trusted me that way or Gideon and I don't think you have ever trust Max to make you coffee. You are stable and Reid needs that anD Reid, despite his childhood, looks at life with wonder. You need that Aaron, to combat the darkness we all have inside of us from this job."

JJ didn't say anything, her approval on the relationship had come before to a different Spencer but Spencer knew what the hand on his thigh along with the squeeze meant. He looked at Garcia and all she did was give him a wan smile. It was probably all he would get for a while from her. Alex smiled at him, saying so much with that smile. They'd talk later when it was just them.

"I can't say much at all, keeping secrets and other such things. I'm glad you have someone Reid who makes you happy, even if it is gruff old Hotch." Prentiss was smiling but it wasn't reaching her eyes. Spencer understood it was too much too close to her faked death. Knowing that she had rebuilt the relationship with another him and not the real him, it had to hurt. He'd find time to talk to her, one on one, find time to talk to all of them one on one.

"I think that we have all had a lot of emotions so before anything else is said, we should eat," Aaron said. Spencer tried to get up but Aaron kept his arm around his waist. "I love you."

Spencer turned to face Aaron, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. "I love you too."

There were murmured words as everyone made their own sandwiches, standing around the little island in the kitchen. It went a little into helping them heal up the wounds on them.

"So, Pretty Boy, Atlantic City, and that tournament. You go every year?"

"Pretty much. I have fun doing it and I've only gotten better as the years go. Profiling lends a lot to it. I even got to do it in the other universe. I think it was more of the other Aaron testing me than an actual want to make me happy by letting me do it. The entry fee was just a drop in the bucket for money for him. His Spencer played regularly before he was eighteen in his household. I did it to earn money quickly."

"I still want to see video footage of Hotch in Atlantic City," Morgan said with a laugh.

"I'm upset I missed out on Jackson hitting on Aaron," Spencer said with a pout. He looked at Aaron and saw that he was a little unsettled but Spencer tucked himself into his body and the tension went away. "Seeing the Jackson in the other world is making me excited to see the differences. It's surprising how different yet the same some things are. The other Aaron was very controlling and he never strayed from Spencer but before him there was Jackson. Two very alpha Doms in love and they knew they would never be able to stay together and be what each needed. Aaron said they tried to look for a Sub to share but never did. Once Spencer came into Aaron's life that part was over. Aaron would never share him and I don't think that even Spencer consenting to it would change his mind."

"Jackson Grimes and Aaron?" Rossi asked.

"Yes. And according to what the other Spencer left in his journals, this Jackson hit on Aaron. Several times."

"Aaron, I don't think I've ever seen you blush," Rossi said with a smile. Aaron cleared his throat and took a drink of his water before pointedly glaring at Rossi. Spencer picked at his sandwich as the sound of talking washed over him. He was looking forward to lunch being over and spending the afternoon with the kids and the evening at work.

* * *

Spencer sat down at his desk with a sigh. He was shocked by the elegance of it. It was beautiful and one that he would have picked out. He found everything g to do with Grimes Tech and started to read. He wanted everything that he had to get though done before he started work fully the next day.

Jack and Henry had been perfect at the play business. Henry had taken a good nap for Jessica at her place and so when she had dropped the two off at Aaron's, they had been ready to go. Spencer found a happiness in watching them. Seeing Jack being so kind to Henry. Playing games the younger boy could play and even spent two hours in a ball pit just because it made Henry happy. Dinner had been sandwiches, chips, and tea. Being with the boys hadn't been tiring but the emotional upheaval of the morning set him up for tiredness.

It took an hour to read over everything on hand for Grimes Tech and another hour to go over everything that related his actual job. He started at the beginning of the case files and read. The first few were off a little but the other Spencer had the hang of copying him by the fourth. His personal work files that he kept on each case had been updated for each one and helped him know what happened that didn't go into the report. It was going to be so easy to just step back into his work life. His personal life, on the other hand, was a mess.

A knock on the door to his office had Spencer looking up. Lou, the night shift guard for the floor was standing there with a smile on his face.

"Never thought I'd see you again, outside of running in for late cases. You got that boyfriend of yours and don't come in and work at night like you used to."

"I don't think I'll be as gone from here as you think for at least a little while."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Just over the honeymoon phase of a new relationship. That's all. Al and I are ordering pizza, want some?"

"Sure." Spencer wasn't exactly chomping at the bit to go home, to bed either in his lonely apartment where he knew he wouldn't get any sleep or to Aaron's where he wasn't sure where he fit. He hadn't figured himself out yet and he wasn't going to drag Aaron into it, he was dealing with the switch himself.

"Good." Lou pushed himself off the door jam where he'd been leaning and stepped closer to Spencer with a cup of coffee in his hand. Spencer took it with a smile.

"Thank you."

"Watched on camera as you walked in ad knew you could use a pick me up. It's that mocha cinnamon thing that you like. Sweet talked Stan from the second floor into doing a run."

"You take care of me, Lou."

"Just like you take care of the world, Doctor Reid. No more than you deserve, you and that whole team of yours. Want me to wake you if you fall asleep?"

Spencer looked down at that cup of coffee in his hand and thought about it for a few minutes. "No. I have clothes here. Wake me at five if I fall asleep."

"You got it. I'll bring you up a few slices when it gets here around ten."

"Thank you, Lou."

Lou turned and moved out of the office. He'd been the guard for the floor since Spencer had started on the team. He'd found him curled up on Aaron's couch more often than not that first year. Aaron had been the one to offer it after one too many stiff necks for the younger man. Lou had started to act like a friend and then a kind older brother before Spencer's first year on the team was gone.

Spencer had talked to Aaron about going to the office when he had dropped Jack off. Aaron had seemed disappointed but understood his reasons.

Busying himself with just taking care of paperwork that the other Spencer hadn't finished, Spencer passed the nine o'clock hour with little thought to anything but work. The smell of pizza hit Spencer before he could even hear Lou. The man had a plate with three pieces of pizza as well two bread sticks and a cupcake on it. In his other hand was a bottle of flavored water.

"You eat it al, you hear?" Lou said as he dropped the plate on the desk, right on top of the file Spencer had been working on. "That boyfriend might have got you into working out but you are still too damned skinny for that muscle you got. I'll wake you at five so you can get in a quick workout and a shower. The gym will be opened for you."

"Thanks, Lou."

"Still say I should meet this boyfriend and let him know what I think of how he takes care of you."

"He takes care of me as much-"

"-as you let him," Lou finished. Spencer smiled but it wasn't a happy one. "I've seen the collar, Doctor Reid, seen you touch it. He ain't taking care of you as much as he should if you have to settle yourself that way. I was a kid in the sixties and seventies, ain't much that's gonna shock me."

"Go to work, Lou," Spencer said with a little heat to his voice. It was a safe word of sorts. Telling Lou that it was too much and Spencer was uncomfortable. Lou nodded and left, leaving Spencer alone to his thoughts.

There was too much in Spencer's head as he ate. So much of his life had changed without him. He had known that the other Spencer would wreak havoc on his life but he hadn't realized that he had set up the grounds for the entire world to know about his sex life. He wasn't ashamed of what he was, what he had found himself to be. He just hadn't expected it all to be so out there even in this world. Lou was a shock. He knew the man wasn't ever shy about anything. The man was smart but he wanted a stress free life, so he'd chose night security for the FBI.

Spencer reached down to his plate and found that all that was left was the cupcake. He'd ate the rest of the food without realizing it. He peeled the wrapper off the cupcake and laid it on the plate. It was from that fancy place that charged like four bucks a cupcake but gave the guards discounts when they bought several before closing. It was the cookie dough one, Spencer's favorite that they made. He enjoyed every bite of it, finishing off the latte before he snagged the water to wash it all down. He looked at the file and signed it, the last of the paperwork he had on his desk.

There was nothing left for him to do so he moved towards the bullpen. He found JJ's office, her old office that was her new one again. There were pictures on the wall, including one of him and Henry. He remembered the day it was taken, Spencer had got Henry to laugh so hard that he'd snorted. Which had caused JJ and Will to laugh even harder. Henry had figured out that snorting when he laugh made everyone else laugh hard so he kept doing it. By the time that Henry had worn himself out, Spencer's stomach muscles had hurt from laughing and his voice had been hoarse.

The rest of the office looked like it had. Spencer knew that JJ was upset, going back to being the liaison but he knew that she'd settle down. He agreed with the other Spencer that Morgan doing those aspects like Aaron had before wasn't going to work. Spencer had spent more time in front of a camera in the six months in the other world than he had in the years before in his own. Some cases, he might offer to help JJ with talking to the media.

Spencer turned to leave the office but he saw a box under her desk, tucked in the back. It was locked and Spencer made a mental note to ask her about it. Spencer exited the office and moved to Alex's desk, his old desk. It was neat and orderly, just like her desk had been at Georgetown. Spencer was happy to see her on the team. He knew that she was happy to be on the team as well.

Prentiss's desk was the marginal chaos it always was. Until she had joined the team, Spencer had been the brunt of the messy jokes. He just always had a lot ping on so his desk looked messy but everything was in its place. Prentiss's though was chaos and she always spent at least ten minutes finding things if she was rushed.

Spencer moved past the desks and to the steps. He moved up them at a normal pace but stopped just outside the door to Morgan's office. There was a pause to his hand reaching for the knob. Aaron never shut his door unless he was in a meeting. Seeing it shut at night bothered Spencer. He opened the door, almost expecting to find it locked. The desk was the same but the rest of the furniture wasn't. It looked nothing like Aaron's office. The desk was moved to sit in the corner, facing the door. Spencer tried not to profile the office but it was hard. So much screamed at him that Morgan wasn't comfortable with it all. In that instant, Spencer knew why Morgan wanted Aaron back as UC and it had more to do with Morgan not feeling ready than anything.

"You know that staring at an office is not exactly normal," Lou said.

"I know. Just thinking."

"Think yourself to sleep. You've been wandering up here for too long and you won't get enough sleep."

"I don't like changes."

"No one does but changes are needed to grow. It's going to be rough but you'll pull through. You always do. Change is how one reinvents oneself and it's scary but it's needed."

"I'll go to sleep now."

Spencer turned to leave and Lou shut Morgan's office door before following Spencer to his office. Once Spencer was inside, he left. Spencer opened the door though to the one room he hadn't visited. Aaron's office. He room was different but not as startling as Morgan's office. The couch Spencer slept on was against one wall, where from Aaron's desk, he could see all of it. It was kind of behind the main part of the desk, as opposed to how it had been in his old office. Spencer crossed over and found the blanket where it always was behind a pillow and flipped it out. He toed off his shoes and laid down, smelling Aaron's scent all around him. It wasn't long before he was asleep.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spencer is having a hard time figuring out his place in his own life since coming back. Aaron and Spencer are having issues being on the same page.
> 
> Jackson, Aaron and Spencer have some growing pains, and JJ and Tony get closer than they ever have before. Also, some new additions to the mansion expand the Hotchner - Reid family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, life kind of decided to screw with both DJQ and myself this month. While we finished the chapter it has not been proofed or beta'd, so please forgive all our mistakes this time around. And, sorry for being late.

#  _ Our World _

Spencer was sitting on his desk when Grace opened the door leading to her area. He recognized her by the sound of her heels moving towards the door and the smell of her light perfume when it opened. If she had any thoughts about where he was sitting, she said nothing. Instead, she came in, set a file on the desk at his right knee, and left again, shutting the door. 

It took five minutes for Spencer to realize that when Grace had come in with the file, she had left a person in the room as well. He looked up to see Jackson standing there, smiling at him. Spencer looked to the other door and found it shut as well; he could hear the murmur of three sets of voices. Aaron was in a meeting. Spencer looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn't even seven am and Aaron was in a meeting.

"So, I can see why Agent Hotchner wants you in an office. Sitting on your desk is quite cute."

"You are here early," Spencer said, ignoring what Jackson had said. 

"I got in last night. Had dinner with a friend." Jackson straightened himself up and moved towards Spencer. Spencer didn't move as the man moved towards him. Jackson's eyes were on his throat. Spencer was wearing a collar, but it was hidden under his shirt collar and tie, which he had gotten used to actually wearing like it was supposed to be. "I'm sure I can find things to do to keep myself entertained if you would allow me the use of a wall socket." 

"There are several along the wall." Spencer wondered what game Jackson was playing as he reached out. "Over there." 

 "You know that collars are fascinating. Seeing how one wears one is very telling of the person they are. You always used to have your collars loose with your tie not quite centered or tight. Except when in court. I'm sure Agent Hotchner allowed it because it was quirky and he didn't want to stamp out that part of you. Yet here you are with your collar and tie perfect."

 "I wanted to look good today."

 "You look better the other way unless you are-" Jackson stopped, and his finger found the hook on the leather collar and pulled it up some. "My, my, my. Fascinating."

 "Jackson." Aaron's voice was sharp, but Jackson didn't jerk away from Spencer. His finger stayed hooked in the ring, but he did look at Aaron.

 "Hotch. That's interesting. Side by side offices. Practically nauseatingly sweet." Jackson let Spencer's collar go and stepped back. He turned and picked up a laptop bag before moving to the seat farthest away from Spencer inside the office. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me, and while I flirt, I don't touch what isn't mine."

 "Hotch," Spencer said, glaring at Jackson. The two Jackson's were different, yet it seemed very much the same. "How was the meeting?"

 "It was good. Garrett wants your help on a case that the team has. He wondered if you would video connect with him as your leisure."

 "Sure. I'm just neck deep in a weird case for New York, but maybe a distraction will help."

 "If you want to use my office you can use so that Jackson doesn't have to uproot himself." Aaron smiled at Jackson, but it wasn't exactly a nice one. 

 "Sure."

 Spencer pushed himself off of his desk and moved into Aaron's. The Bureau's video software was already loaded, and it seemed that Garrett was already on hold. Spencer sat down and reconnected the call.

 "Doctor Reid, thank you. Hotch printed out our case file as it stands. Our UnSub is leaving coded messages that we are unable to figure out. If you don't mind looking it over and seeing if you can figure them out. I'll buy you some of that coffee you like and have it shipped to you from India next time I am there." Garrett was smiling despite what had to be a bad case. Aaron handed over papers fresh from the printer and Spencer started to read through them. Aaron stayed on the other side of the desk, working on paperwork. 

 It took three hours to crack the code and another hour to teach Garrett how to translate the code to an understandable language. Aaron stayed working the whole time, just on the other side of the desk. He never once made a complaint at having his office taken over, and Spencer felt bad about that. Aaron couldn't have been happy about it unless Aaron liked having Spencer in his space. Aaron had texted him on Monday morning and asked if he was still at the office. Spencer hadn't heard it as he had been dead asleep. Instead, he had been woken up by Aaron coming into the office when Spencer's office had been empty. Nothing was said about it, and instead, Aaron had just handed him the outfit that he had brought and told him to get ready for the day. 

 Spencer felt bad for that night, but he'd woke feeling calmer than he had since he'd come home. Since then he'd slept in Aaron's bed every night and drove into work with him every day. 

 "Do you mind if I go to lunch early? I'm going to talk to Charlie about destroying the device."

 "No that's fine. Since your lunch is going to be working one with Jackson, don't worry about taking time. Just make sure Morgan knows you are leaving."

 "It's weird getting used to telling him everything instead of you."

 "I know."

 Spencer cleaned up his pile of work and took it to his office with him. Garrett would send him all the write ups because the intelligence of the UnSub was astounding. He'd make an excellent case study for those that took the profiling classes at the academy. 

 "Did you figure it all out?" Jackson asked as he shut his laptop and stood up. 

 "Yes."

 "Good."

 "We can go now. I'll take us to Georgetown, you can meet with who you need to meet with, and I'll do the same."

 "Of course." Jackson smiled at him. Spencer wasn't sure what that smile was. He wasn't sure who this man was at all. He hoped he'd have a good read on him by the time that they made it to Georgetown. "But you aren't driving. I have a luxury car rented, with a driver. We are going to talk some before we make it to Georgetown."

 Spencer didn't answer just started to clean up his desk a little and shut down the computer. He made sure his Grimes Tech tablet was in his bag, and then he signaled he was ready.

 Walking through the hall with Jackson right there, Spencer felt weird. Morgan was in the bullpen talking to Rossi and Prentiss.

 "Morgan. I'm taking my lunch early and then I have the meeting about the database with Grimes. I can drop it all if a case comes up."

 "JJ doesn't think there will be, nothing significant that a consult can't help with. Have fun at Georgetown, if you need the afternoon with Grimes just text."

 "I won't keep your Pretty Boy out past curfew, Agent Morgan," Jackson said with a smile on his face. Morgan just looked at him. Morgan wasn't used to people who flirted with every person, no matter what. 

 Prentiss and Rossi laughed while Alex was just smiling. Morgan finally cracked a smile as Jackson started to laugh. 

 "I'm not the one you have to fight for his attention from."

 Spencer bristled a little at that. He knew that he shouldn't, but he felt uneven still. Not anywhere near a safe place to settle. 

 "Let's go, Spencer. Don't want to keep Georgetown waiting." Jackson didn't touch him, but it looked like he wanted to. Spencer knew that Jackson probably understood the claim of the collar better than the team, but he still didn't want to be treated differently because of it. 

 The drive, despite Jackson's predictions, to Georgetown was silent. Spencer was too much in his head, worried about the meeting with Charlie. He didn't know what kind of fight he was going to have on his hands. He was afraid of what it would do to his reputation in the academic world if Charlie didn't believe him. Jackson didn't even try and engage him in conversation. 

 The car drop them both at the science building that Charlie was in, Spencer wasn't shocked at the tech side of science was also in the same building. Spencer walked the halls to Charlie's lab feeling nostalgic for the man he had been. Missing how sure Spencer felt of his place in the world. He was more certain himself now but less sure of his place overall. 

 The door to Charlie's office was shut, so Spencer knocked. He heard the man call for him to enter. Spencer turned to look at Jackson. 

 "You don't need to walk me to the door, Jackson. Charlie and I are old friends."

 "Of course, Spencer. Of course." 

 Spencer turned back and opened the door. He stepped inside. Charlie was seated at his desk, grading papers it seemed. He didn't look up. Spencer tried to pull the door shut, but Jackson worked inside and closed the door instead. Spencer was about to turn the man out, bodily if need be, when Jackson opened his mouth.

 "Told you I'd get him here. Too bad he was already coming, Charlie."

 Charlie looked up, his eyes glancing past Spencer at first to land on Jackson and then settled on Spencer. 

 "You were right," Jackson said. 

 "You are serious?" Charlie stood up from the desk and moved around it. 

 "Deadly serious. This one is yours, I believe, or he did excellent at acting differently to my flirtations with Hotch."

 "What?" Spencer asked, looking between the two men.

 "When the joint venture with the DOJ was announced and your name attached, Charlie emailed me, asking for an audience. I was intrigued and more than willing to meet with him. I like smart people. He started at the beginning, telling me about the scale model and all of the research, then he told me about the explosion. I wasn't shocked at all about it. I remember now why I make sure that those who oversee the weirder projects at Grimes Tech are cool heads and not prone to flights of fancy or getting lost in the fun of discovery. After a while, I figured out what he was talking around. You were ducking him at every turn. At work, on the phone, even not being home when he was sure that you were. He didn't want to sound insane by suggesting that the you I had started this venture up with wasn't you. I had no basis as we had never met before but he asked me to keep an eye. He wasn't all that sure that you just were scared of going back after the explosion. Then Sunday, you sat down in front of that camera, and I knew that you weren't you. Or you weren't the Spencer Reid I had been working with the past few months. So when you said you were coming here, of your own volition, I just tagged along because this is mind blowing."

 "I..." Spencer didn't know what to say. He was aware that Charlie had backed off trying to see him, and the other Spencer had wondered why but he hadn't expected this. Spencer moved to the couch and sat down. "Here I was dreading this. Trying to make sure you understood. I even brought along things that he'd wrote to show you."

 "He was damned good at ducking me, and after the first two months, it was the only thing I could think of. I stayed back and waited for you to come to me, and when your name was announced on the project with Grimes Tech, I couldn't keep quiet. Either you had swapped and who knows what kind of man he was or you had more happen than I thought in the explosion." Charlie stepped around the desk and moved over to stand in front of Spencer. He cupped the side of Spencer's face and pulled him close. Spencer wrapped his arms around Charlie and hugged him. After a few minutes, Charlie cupped the back of his neck. His whole body stiffened, and he pulled back to look at Spencer.

 "Yeah, damn shock that was," Jackson said. 

 "What the hell happened to you there?" Charlie asked. Spencer looked at Jackson, unsure if he wanted the man that he barely knew to know any of what had happened to him. The other Aaron had trusted his Jackson entirely. Jackson raised his hands and moved to the door, leaving. He shut the door behind him, and Charlie walked over and locked it. 

 Spencer laid everything out of what happened to him in the other world. He left out what the other Spencer did while being him but he did go into what happened to Charlie more than he had with the team. 

 "You have to destroy it, and you have to promise that you will never try it again. We can't run the risk of it happening again. It took me six months, and I was lucky to land in a universe that had someone I was connected with who had the money to be able to bankroll the experiment."

 "I will. I already locked down the lab and the parts, but the first explosion damaged it beyond repair. I hadn't started another one yet. I was waiting for you. And running all kinds of data. I don't see why it didn't work. It should have. However, I agree that no one should ever attempt this again." 

 "Good. Thank you."

 "Whose collar are you wearing?" Charlie asked.

 "Technically, the other Spencer's. He bought it to help himself mentally."

 "What did the other Spencer do with that guy that had you so happy the last few months before you went away?" 

 Spencer raised his hand up and undid the first few buttons on his shirt and loosened his tie. He allowed Charlie to see it, fully. Charlie didn't touch it, but he looked. He stared at it, and Spencer could tell he was thinking. 

 "Hotch, Hotch is the man that you were seeing wasn't he? The one you told me you had a date with the night of the explosion?"

 "Yes."

 "And the other Spencer seduced him. So you are feeling bereft a little bit, you don't know how to feel, you don't know how to act. It's only been a few days; you need time to get settled. I know why you came here, but you need to go and get the meeting with Jackson over and then just spend time with Hotch."

 "We are good?"

 "Yes. When you are more settled back into this world, we can have a science night." Charlie pulled Spencer into a hug before he could say anything in response and Spencer hugged him back before standing up from where he'd sat down to talk to him. Spencer opened the door and found Jackson sitting on the floor across from the door, his legs stretched out in front of him, and he was typing away on his phone. Jackson looked up at Spencer with a broad smile on his face. 

 Jackson was comfortable, settling in at a table in the most expensive restaurant in the city after the ride from Georgetown. They had a private room, and Spencer was glad because he was still a little shaky from talking to Charlie, seeing his Charlie and not the broken man that he had spent so much time with. 

 It took the entire lunch hour and three hours after that for Jackson to get Spencer up to speed on everything that Jackson thought that he needed to know. Spencer had texted Morgan after the lunch break ended and explained that something had come up. Morgan had only exclaimed that he'd have to find someone else to do his paperwork. Spencer texted back that he didn't have the time to do any of Morgan's paperwork, even if he was at the office. Morgan didn't reply at all. Spencer knew that files were going to be a big point of contention between him and his team. JJ hadn't given him many cases at all to work on before she had noticed how many Morgan and Prentiss slipped him. Thankfully, Grace handled all of his files now, and his office was mostly locked when he wasn't there. There was too much in there that wasn't FBI related. Grace was militant about it. 

 Spencer liked having a secretary, even if she was shared with Aaron. It was nice to have someone there to talk to if he needed. He'd got to know her well over the three days he'd been back. She made good coffee and tea when it was afternoon. She was motherly to Spencer and Aaron in a nonpatronizing way. She stayed until both Spencer and Aaron left so that she could help if they needed. 

 "How are you settling into work? I know it's only been what three days?" Jackson asked as they were wrapping up the very extended lunch. 

 "Yes and I'm doing fine so far."" Spencer knew what Jackson was asking, and it wasn't him fearing Spencer and his commitment to the job he was doing for them. He cared, even though he hadn't got close to Spencer but the other one.

 "And your newfound dynamic?"

 "It's a learning curve for me, but I'm getting a handle on it."

 "I do not place the dynamic of Dominant on myself, but I have studied it, I have interacted with that world. Sex fascinates me. You go more for the clinical understanding of it all where I go for the feel of it. The taste, the sound. I had a friend, Victor who called me a sensualist."

 Spencer nodded but inside he was upset. Victor, who Foyet had gone after Jackson to hurt Aaron. The way this Jackson spoke of him said that he was dead. Spencer would have to look into that. 

 "I've been accused as of late, with the news of this project getting more attention, that I am trying to solve a problem by throwing money at it."

 "No one understands what it takes to run even the databases that we currently have. The Highway Serial Killer database is two months behind on data entry at best in some of the small highway towns and eight at the worst. Throwing money at the problem will make it go away. It's not going to stop the killers, but it will make them get caught earlier. I saw that once we are up and running and have data entry to fifty percent, they want other databases put under your database. One central one."

 "Yes. They asked me how much it would cost them for me to take over the server space for all databases that the DOJ maintains, including terror lists and such."

 "Because you maintain perfect systems. You are public with what happens when someone tries to hack you. The back hack that you had one of your analysts do to that group who sought to take you out was good. The fact that you turn them over to the cops once you track them down, scares more than a few away from trying."

 "I have a good system because I seduce online hackers to my side. I give them benefits and perks that nowhere else would give them. I have put seventeen through college when they couldn't afford it, and all I ask is for five years after they graduate. Five years and their debts are wiped clean. None of the ones who have graduated have left. I run my business like my family. I'll do anything for those in my family. That being said I have a proposal that I'll be sending to Jessica Brooks. It's a hiring packet. She is free to discuss it with you, with Aaron. She's too bright to be stuck at that dead end job she's at that doesn't pay her what she is worth."

 "And you are telling me this because?"

 "She likes you. She likes what you have done for Aaron. How much Jack loves you. Or at least that is what she has posted about on Facebook, in not so many words."

 "You looked at her Facebook?"

 "Just her public posts. I look at everything, Spencer before I hire someone, everything they have put out digitally."

 "What would she do for the company?"

 "She would oversee the technology firm that I am going to be putting into DC. With the project with the DOJ bringing me to DC more, I need to work on some businesses here. She would have an office, a house, and in center daycare for Jack. I know she watches him when you are out of town, and Aaron works late or goes with the teams out of town. My firm would be open twenty-four hours a day and have a daycare that is open all the time. She is smart, and her degree is languishing where she is at. I'd have her go to California for two months to learn at another branch of Grimes Tech and then would come back here and build the firm from the ground up. While she is gone, I'll pay for a nanny for Jack, vetted by all three of you. On weekends if you two are working, I'll fly Jack and nanny to visit her."

 "If I was a untrusting man, I'd be very leery of you."

 "Family means everything to me. You didn't profile Charlie's office did you?"

 "No. Charlie has never changed anything in it since he came to DC."

 "You didn't see his car keys with the car fob on it?"

 Spencer brought up his memory, tracking through it. He hadn't paid much attention to the office at all. He found what Jackson was talking about, though. There was key fob on his desk, next to a picture frame that hadn't been there six months prior. Charlie was in a relationship and hadn't mentioned it.

 "He was more worried about you when we talked, but one thing led to another. I don't do relationships as mainstream society likes to dictate they should be. I am more devoted to my company, and I like what I like. I pay for escorts to go with me to galas and events and I have a few I use exclusively. Sometimes though, I do like connections. I also like intelligence. I doubt since you are looking at me shocked that Charlie mentioned it. It's very loose. He knows that when I am in town, I'll see him if I can, I don't expect fidelity. The car was one I already owned, and he liked, so I gifted it to him. I like him a lot."

 "He's not been interested in anything approaching a relationship since LA. I think that a no strings attached relationship would do good for him. You are very easy on the eyes and your impossible hair does make you cute."

 Jackson tossed his head back and laughed. It was a full belly laugh, and Spencer was happy to see it. He knew that Jackson had probably been a little nervous to tell him. 

 "And getting him out of the lab, even for sex is good for him."

 "Not always out of the lab for sex."

 "I don't need those images, he's like a brother to me, and I know what you look like during sex."

 "Oh, really? Do tell." Jackson propped his chin on his hand and stared at Spencer. 

 "Do you want all the naughty details?" 

 "Of course, what is a story without all the nasty details?"

 "I met the other you in Atlantic City. Had heard of you before Aaron wasn't shy about talking about you. Especially because of the relationship you two had."

 "Me and tall, dark, and no smile?"

 "Yes. Two Doms in love who never found a Sub to share and Aaron wasn't ever going to share his Spencer. Aaron never even let you take a single implement to his Spencer. He, however, had no issue letting Jackson take a whip to me, with my consent. I wanted to feel what it was like for someone who wasn't Aaron to give me pain like that and I am glad that I did. It was different. It was good but different. Jackson's Sub, Adam, was more than willing to watch as Jackson worked me over then tied me to a chair and watched him fuck Aaron. I came without being touched."

 "You know that I'm going to be jacking off to this later right?" Jackson asked. 

 "Yes. I figured as much. It's so weird to see people that I met in the other world and see them for the first time here. Like you. I don't know how to react to you. The team is easy, I had years with them, and I only have to check my reactions to things that they do that I'm willing to admit that I don't like. You, I don't know what you will do in response to what I say so I'm testing the waters."

 "Well, feel free to check whatever you want on me. I can't say how I'll react, but I'll be a good listener."

 "I figure that I'll see you enough with work and you in town to visit Charlie." Spencer wagged his eyebrows at Jackson at that, and it even shocked him. He stopped and thought about that. The other Aaron had brought that out in him, accompanied by how Dave and Derek had treated him. It was nice. Aaron had called it schmoozing, but Spencer had become good at it. 

 "You are nothing like Charlie had said you used to be. I was interested in your before, but I think that I'll adore getting to know you." Jackson picked his napkin up off of his lap and laid it on the place where his dessert plate had long been gone from. Spencer did the same and stood up. He smiled at the man as he moved over and laid a hand on his lower back to escort him out. It didn't feel like it did when either Aaron did it, it was more friendly than a claim. "Where do you want me to drop you off?"

 "Well-" Spencer stopped when Jackson cut him off.

 "Never mind. You need your car from Quantico."

 "No, I don't. I ride in with Aaron every day. So if you don't mind stopping at Jessica's, I can pick up Jack and then you can drop us off at home."

 "Jessica's huh?" Jackson smiled at him. 

 "She's working from home today."

 "So I can start wooing her into working for me?" Jackson asked as he opened the back door to the car, ushering Spencer in first. 

 "If you must," Spencer said. He figured that Jessica would jump at the job. She stayed at her job because it was a good one but she was bored with it, Spencer and she had talked a lot about that before the explosion. Having the daycare open for Jack was a good thing. Jackson's idea of a daycare was probably nothing like what ones in the area were. Aaron had thought about something for Jack for when Jessica couldn't watch him, but he'd not liked the idea of Jack going to a place only once and awhile and having him be upset about "new" people all the time. 

 "Oh, I must. Don't worry, I'll keeping the wooing G-rated. Little ears tell big stories." Jackson smirked at him as he tapped on the window for the driver to lower the partition. Spencer gave the address then they were off. Spencer couldn't wait for Jessica to tell Aaron about it all because he doubted that she'd be able to keep her mouth shut. Maybe Jackson would take the three of them back to Aaron's. One of them could always drive her home later in the night. 

* * *

 

 Spencer smiled as he felt Jack slip under the blanket that Spencer and Aaron had used in their makeshift bed. Aaron had got up and ran already that morning and was fixing breakfast while Spencer was sleeping in. The team had got back early the day before from a case, but Spencer had flown in Jackson's private jet to New York from Maine, worked a few hours with setting up the new server farm there and getting it all set up before he had taken the same jet home. Thankfully, Jackson had made it so that it was allowed to land on the FBI's strip in Quantico since it was official business. Spencer had been able to ride home with Aaron, a little later than normal but still. All day was running around between the case, and work left Spencer worn out even that next morning. 

"Morning, Papa," Jack whispered as his head pop up from under the blanket's tucked into Spencer's side.

"Good morning, Jackers." 

"So how was our first night in Fort Weich?" 

Jack giggled at the name that Aaron had given their fort. It was the German word for soft or squishy. Spencer rolled to his side and wrapped his arms around Jack, bringing him that much closer to his body. Jack snuggled in just a little closer, and Spencer could feel the smile on his face. 

"It was fun. Can we sleep in here tonight as well?"

"I don't see why not. Maybe we can see about extending the one side as your father kept rolling out." 

Jack laughed and wiggled out of Spencer's arms to sit up, looking down at him. "We need to get changed. Daddy should have breakfast done soon."

"And here I thought that we were dressed."

"We are going to eat in our pajamas?" Jack asked, astounded.

"Yes we are, and we are going to eat on the floor," Spencer said. 

Jack rolled in an awkward fashion that if Spencer tried, he was sure that he would hurt at least three body parts but that Jack seemed to move right out of and take off at a run, towards the kitchen. Spencer followed him but crawled. He stretched as he straightened up. Sleeping under the dining room table in a fort made of a rolled up think mattress and pillows weren't the most comfortable thing, but it topped over half of the beds that Spencer had slept on during cases for years. Spencer caught a glimpse of Aaron at the oven checking whatever he had in there. It was a recipe that JJ had given Aaron that Will and Henry loved, so Aaron had wanted to try it. Aaron motioned for Jack to move out of the way of the oven and the boy did, his cup of juice in his hand. 

Spencer entered the kitchen to find that Aaron had gone all out for them. There was fresh squeezed orange juice right on the counter in a pitcher and a carafe of coffee that Spencer could still smell a little bit of it, it was the good stuff. Spencer stepped up to get himself a cup of coffee as Aaron pulled a tray of muffins from the oven. Spencer frowned because he could smell bacon and could see the skillet it had been cooked in but didn't see any around. Aaron set the tray down and used a knife to check one of the muffins, and it was then that Spencer realized it wasn't muffins but egg cups of some kind. He could see bits of bacon, chives, potatoes, and cheese all in the cup, being held together by the egg. Spencer's mouth started to water, and he moved over to wrap his arms around Aaron's waist, making sure to not go near the hot pan, hooking his chin over his shoulder before he nuzzled at his neck. 

"That smells wonderful, and they look great," Spencer said. 

"Good. I hope they taste just as good as they smell." 

"Worried about your cooking?"

"No. Worried about how it all tastes together."

"It's not much different than a breakfast burrito, just no wrapping."

"True." Aaron reached up and held Spencer's face still for a kiss. 

Breakfast was eaten on the floor with Spencer and Aaron leaning on a table leg each and Jack sitting between them. The whole carafe of coffee and the pitcher of juice was drunk between the three of them. Aaron's phone went off with a text as Spencer was cleaning up the dishes and getting them into the dishwasher. Spencer grabbed it as it was beside him. He looked at Aaron, and the man hurried over to him. 

"What's up?"

"Bank robbery at Colonial Liberty Bank, shots fired, and confirmed officer down outside of the bank. MPD. Unit 426 responded."

"Isn't that Will?" Aaron asked. 

"Yes. They want you on the scene leading the FBI unit."

"Call the team and get them there. Do not tell JJ what unit until we know which officer is down."

"Shouldn't I call Morgan and have him get the team in?"

"No. This will be quicker. I'll call Jessica, and she can meet us at the park and ride. We can have all of the team meet there. I'll get SUVs there."

Spencer nodded and moved towards the back of the apartment.

"Why you and us?"

"Crisis negotiation is overseas." 

Spencer dialed Morgan and set it down on the dresser with speaker activated. As he dressed, he gave Morgan the information that Spencer had read on Aaron's phone. Morgan asked if he needed to call the team and Spencer said that he would as Aaron wanted them all there as soon as possible. Spencer relayed all information that he had, including that on where Aaron wanted them to meet before he rung off. He dialed the rest as he went, including Garcia. He wouldn't be shocked if she had already heard about it. 

Half an hour later, Spencer was vested up, and they were waiting on JJ. She had needed longer for a sitter, so Aaron had sent Anderson to pick her up from her house. The SUV was pulling up as Aaron was talking to the head of SWAT that was on site. 

"It's definitely them. I only saw the King and the Jack, but I figure the Queen's inside too," Will sounded like he always did, but his eyes were sad. Spencer was glad that it hadn't been him that had been killed, he didn't think that he could take that much less JJ and Henry. 

Spencer listened as Aaron explained it all as he reviewed all the information that he knew about the group known as the Face Cards. He had agreed with Aaron's assessment that they were killers first and robbers second. The statistics on robbers who killed when they didn't need to was small. For them to have killed seven people, one at each location when it wasn't needed, meant that they did that part for pleasure. 

"Garcia en route?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, she was at a convention, and she didn't hear her phone in her costume," Aaron said. 

Aaron sent them off to do their jobs they were best suited for. Spencer was glad to be able to get into the files of past robberies and try and figure out a weak point as well as maybe where the Face Cards had gone wrong this time. JJ and Prentiss were with him. This they could do, this the team was good at. Morgan was chafing a little bit as Aaron was there because the Director had ordered him to take charge of the situation. Morgan was still too untested in a situation like this and Spencer for one was glad that Morgan wasn't in charge. It wasn't the politics that Spencer was worried about like the people on the Hill but the fact that this was going to take care to minimize loss of life. Thankfully, the trailer had a room used for witnesses to destress and calm down in so Spencer made sure that instead of going back to Quantico, they printed out all needed files there. 

Spencer had made sure to put in one of the comm units that Aaron was using to give directions. He listened as Aaron and Rossi discussed what the Director wanted which was giving into the demand for a medic. Spencer agreed that there was no way that any of the Face Cards inside the bank were acting rationally. 

There was not a lot to go on, but it was easy to figure out that the Queen was the only one that killed. JJ saw that as Aaron got a name for the Jack and the King. 

There was little time to move once Spencer figured out a plan that would be needed to save the Jack's life and hopefully get the King and Queen turned on each other. He ran from the room and wasn't shocked to hear twin outcries of confusion from JJ and Prentiss.

"Hotch!" Spencer near yelled as he cleared the door out of the mobile tactical unit and saw Morgan standing where Aaron was. "I need to talk to you."

"Reid, we don't have time."

"You have to make time." 

Aaron narrowed his eyes, but he allowed Spencer to pull him off to the side. 

"You don't need just a trained medic in there, you need a profiler. If you want anything to actually stick to turn the King and the Queen on each other, we need a profiler in there, and there is only a single medic on this team."

"I know you took the course required to become one when JJ was pregnant, and you recertified after Prentiss, but I am not going to send you in there."

"Yes, you are because it's the best tactical decision. I have proven calm under fire more than once. I am the best person for this role. We have visual now, and I can use it to talk back to you guys. I can slip a comm in the medic bag as well a gun to be safe. I've done well enough with a Glock now that I'll be fine taking your backup at the least. You know that I can do this, Hotch." Spencer used his nickname to make sure that the man could separate Reid and Spencer, the job and their relationship. This was going to be the actual test of their relationship, romantically and work. 

"You are going to do as I say. That comm will be two way, and you don't do anything that will turn you into a target. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, Sir," Spencer said. He could tell that Aaron didn't want to send him in, but at this moment in time, Spencer was right that it was the best tactical decision. Any other agent, Aaron wouldn't trust as well.

"Go brief Morgan on the plan. I'll get the medic bag from the ambulance."

Spencer nodded and moved over to where Morgan was standing, his eye on the medic at the ambulance. As Spencer neared Morgan, he could tell the dark skinned agent knew something was up.

"Aren't you supposed to be in the mobile unit learning about the UnSubs?" Morgan asked. 

"I am where Hotch wants me to be."

"What?"

"I'm going in Morgan, not Agent Stills. I have medical training as a medic, enough to stabilize Oliver and see if I can work on getting Chris and the Queen broke apart."

"Hotch?" Morgan asked when the man came up to them. "Don't tell me that you agree with this stupid decision."

"Reid makes a good argument. He'd done well before in getting situations to work in the way that we need them to, and he is trained as a medic. Tell me another agent that will do better than him inside of there, and I will send them instead." 

"I-" Morgan looked at Spencer and then at Aaron. "Dammit. I can't. Reid, this time you aren't doing anything stupid."

"I won't." And Spencer meant it. He had too much to live for. Aaron opened the bag and slipped in his backup gun as well as a Ka-Bar. Spencer was a little shocked at that, but he had told Aaron that Derek had trained him in the use of killing with it. Spencer was a little worried about what that meant that Aaron was giving it to him. 

"Aaron?" Rossi called out. 

"Tell them we are sending in a medic." Aaron had a medic shirt in his hand and motioned for Spencer to strip. Spencer took off his vest, followed by the rest of his on his torso. He slipped the medic shirt on and started to button it and then worked it into his pants. Aaron handed the bag over, but he cupped the side of Spencer's face, turning his head. Spencer felt a comm go into his ear. "You will be connected with all the team with this. Your hair should cover it up, but there is a spare already in the bag just to be safe. Oliver isn't going to let her check the bag, but she will probably check you over."

"Hotch, the collar."

"Reid, take if off. We don't know what kind of reaction she'll have to it and given that it'll make her think you submissive with a partner, she could kill just for the fun of it."

"She's sadistic enough for it." Spencer worked the collar off and handed it to Aaron. Aaron handed him a stethoscope. 

"I'll keep it safe. Go."

Spencer moved towards the door, feeling apprehensive as he did. He opened the door and stepped in. As soon as he crossed the metal detector, the Queen was right there, no mask. Spencer looked at the fresh lipstick on her face as he tried not to focus on the gun on him. He held still while she started to check him over.

"Get over here," Chris shouted and Spencer glanced at the Queen before he moved over towards Oliver. 

Spencer could tell that Oliver wasn't doing well at all, but he applied pressure on the wound while he looked for pressure dressing for the shoulder shot. He found it one handed and removed his hand long enough for him to apply the dressing. He set that first wound and then moved to the second. The second pressure dressing was sitting on top of a bag of blood. He looked at the type and found that it was O Negative. 

"I need to start this bag of blood, so I'm going to be pulling an IV from this bag." 

"Do whatever you have to do to save him," Chris said. 

"I will." Spencer glanced at Chris and the gun he had in his hand. He didn't even look back at the Queen at all. For now, she was a nonentity. Chris was a ball of anxiety, and it was the kind that Spencer could use against him. Oliver wasn't going to be an issue at all. Even if he started to fully get use of his brain, he wasn't going to be able to help at all. Chris had his gun, one in each hand and was watching as Spencer prepared the skin of his brother's arm for an IV. He hadn't done an IV on someone since the end of his recertification, but it slid into Oliver's arm like it was nothing and the small bit of blood that went into the needle told him that he'd hit a vein. Spencer grabbed the blood bag and laid it on the table that Oliver was leaning against and hooked it up to the needle. As the blood started to flow, Spencer pulled another bag out. He was glad that someone had at least stocked the bag correctly and that he'd got to Oliver in time.

"Am I allowed to go check on the man that she shot?" Spencer asked Chris.

"What did you say?" the Queen asked. 

"I asked if I could go check on the man that you shot," Spencer repeated for her.

"He's dead, and you need to keep Olly alive," Chris said. 

"I can't just sit by and let him die."

"He's already dead," the Queen said, and she stepped up behind Spencer, placing her gun at the back of his head. 

"Reid, don't force the issue," Rossi said in the ear piece. Spencer didn't react except to check Oliver's pulse. It was stronger than it had been. 

"Do you want me to give Oliver something for the pain?" Spencer asked. He'd seen some pain reliever vials in the bag. Anything that he was allowed to do to help Oliver would give him an in with Chris. 

"Yes."

"No," the Queen said. 

Spencer looked at Chris, his eyes begging. Chris looked at the Queen for a minute before he motioned at Spencer to get on with giving him a pain reliever. Spencer dug around in the bag, getting the gun into a perfect spot and pulled the vial out. It was going to make Oliver sleep too which would work for him as it would knock him out, leaving him one less robber to worry about. 

Oliver's eyes slipped closed about a minute after Spencer injected him. He had under-guessed the amount just to be safe, but it would still knock the man out for a while.

"He's just sleeping. It'll let his heart work on pumping his blood around and helping to make sure he doesn't mess up the bandages that I have on him. Look," Spencer showed him the vial with the name. Morphine thankfully had done what Spencer thought it would and knocked him out. Chris calmed down, and Spencer went through the motions of checking on Oliver. Making sure his abdomen wasn't filling with blood and a few other things before he relaxed down with his hand right next to the bag. He needed a diversion. Something outside that would draw the Queen away from him. 

It wasn't long before the sound of a heavy vehicle coming up drew the Queen's attention away from the three of them. Spencer checked on Oliver's pulse and then found the finger pulse oximeter and hooked it up to Oliver. Chris set down one of the guns so that he could pull the device towards him. 

"Reid, SWAT is here, and snipers are in position. We do not have a good shot on either Chris or the Queen. Do you have a good chance to take them out?" Aaron asked over the comm. Spencer nodded his head slightly, but he wasn't ready to take his shot. With the Queen over by the hostages, he realized that her posture changed slightly when she was close to the man in the long sleeved over shirt. She was familiar with him. She was intimate with him. He was part of this, and it didn't seem that Chris and Oliver knew that. Spencer hoped that someone there on the other side of that camera knew sign language. He spelled out the description of the man that needed to be taken out as soon as he made his move. Spencer could take out Chris silently but he couldn't that man.

There was silence the other end of the line. Spencer didn't repeat it, Garcia was recording it all. The Queen was still keeping an eye on the outside, right by the man she was intimate with. 

"We read you, Reid, and as soon as you start to make a move, we will take out the man. Do you want to kill or incapacitate?" Morgan asked. 

Spencer held up a single finger.

"Affirmative. Reid, I am trusting you on this. I don't know why you want us to shoot him, but we will go on your lead." Morgan at least did sound like he trusted him. 

"I want to check his eyes," Spencer said as he dug around for a penlight in the bag and at the same time hid the Ka-Bar under his other arm so that Chris or the Queen couldn't see it. He leaned over Oliver and slid his knife in between his knees before actually checking Oliver's eyes. When he was done, he stayed in that position and grabbed the knife, checking on the Queen's position and her gaze. He set the pen light down and counted down on his hand. Chris only had eyes for the pulse oximeter, so Spencer didn't even have to try and hid drawing the knife and slicing his throat. The blood sprayed everywhere. 

Spencer turned around and grabbed the gun he had worked to a corner of the bag where it was on top, but Chris wouldn't have seen it. He drew it up, and the shattering of the glass told Spencer that SWAT had taken their shot. Spencer aimed and fired, getting the Queen right in the temple as she turned to take in the man with her getting shot. Spencer ran over and pointed his gun at the man who had been clipped in the shoulder as the hostages all around them scattered. The man was on the ground trying to sit up as SWAT entered the room. He looked at Spencer with a look of pure hatred in his eyes. 

"You are under arrest," Spencer said to him. 

"I have a name for him," Garcia said. There was the sound of clicking on the other end. "Matthew Downs. Former Marine dishonorably discharged." 

"Matthew Downs, you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?" Spencer asked as he leaned down and cuffed the man with a pair of handcuffs that the SWAT agent who had stayed with him handed him. "Do you understand your rights?"

"Yes," Downs said through gritted teeth. 

"Good." Spencer knew that talking to him would come later. Still, he had to ask. "Knowing your rights do you wish to speak with me?"

"No."

"The medics can take him from here."

"Sir, we are starting a full sweep of the bank. We know that the woman went into the back to look for an exit, do you mind exiting?" 

"Are all the hostages out?" Spencer asked.

"Yes, Sir. All are out of the building and accounted for, except for you, Oliver, and the suspect. But before medics can come in we need to clear the bank."

"How did you know?" Downs asked.

"I'm sorry I can't speak with you." Spencer turned and left before he was tempted to tell the man how he and the Queen had messed up. The team was just on the other side of the barricade that SWAT had made to keep even the agents back as they swept the bank.

"We have a bomb that's set to be triggered. Call bomb squad," one of the SWAT members called over the radio. Spencer sighed as this could have gone so wrong. His eyes found Aaron's and he saw pain there. Spencer looked down at his clothes and saw why. He was covered in blood. He hadn't realized how much. 

"I started to go through the feed recordings we had," Rossi said as he stepped up with what looked like a baby wipe. He allowed the man to clean off his face. "You were right. She was closed off and cold every single second she was inside that place, except when she was around him. Having him gave us her. Izzy Rogers. Garcia found them. Her face isn't in a criminal database here in America. Prentiss called Interpol."

"It's good we have them all."

"She must have set the bomb while looking for an escape route," Morgan said. 

"She didn't care about either of the brothers at all. They were a means to an end." Spencer took the wipe from Rossi and used it on his face as a medic came over to him with a change of scrubs. Aaron laid a hand on his shoulder and directed him towards the mobile unit. 

"You did wonderful, Reid," Aaron said loud enough for the team to hear. Spencer didn't respond at all. He just stepped into the unit. Garcia was still inside, doing who knows what. Spencer moved back to the bathroom. He efficiently changed out of the bloodied clothes before he looked at himself in the mirror. Rossi had got the blood from the nooks and crannies on his face, but it was till in his hair. Using the sink, Spencer washed his hair quickly before he dressed in the scrubs. His bloodied clothes would have to be entered as evidence. Spencer was sad for the loss of the pants, but he at least had been wearing the medic shirt. Spencer dressed in the scrubs, not looking in the mirror at all instead he opened the door and smiled at Aaron. Aaron had his collar in hand. Spencer looked at it and nodded. Aaron wrapped it around Spencer's neck and buckled it. 

"How well did you handle it?" Spencer asked, his voice barely loud enough to be heard.

"I did fine. I was a nervous wreck, but it wasn't any worse than the time I sent you onto the train in Texas or the time you were in Cyrus's hands. I think I'll be fine. How about you?"

Spencer thought about it, how he thought about what he needed to do but hadn't even had thought about Aaron. Hw hadn't. "I thought about what I needed to get done."

"Good. The Director wants to have a meeting about why I disobeyed his orders, but Rossi and I had agreed that we didn't want to send a medic. Give in to one, and we have to give into all. I was going to pull the plug, but you had a much better idea."

"Just think if you had sent in a medic, never would have seen the familiarity with Downs." Spencer knew that Aaron knew that but he wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to be pushed down again. He was a capable agent, and he was good at what he did. He wasn't ever going to knock down doors like Morgan but things like what had happened today, he could do good.

"We need to go out and give your clothes to the CSU unit. And then start the paperwork that will be this monster. The Director isn't going to be happy, no matter what because I wasn't going to follow his orders. He wants me to make this unit the best that it can be but he still wants other to makes the decision that we should be making. He wasn't here, and he didn't see that just sending in a medic wasn't going to work."

"This is going to be a nightmare, but it would have been worse otherwise. If I had been any later, I might not have been able to stabilize him enough to where I could just medicate him and wait."

"Let's not think how this could have gone worse."

Spencer agreed and he kept his silence as they made their way out of the bathroom of the mobile unit. Rossi was standing there.

"You two don't have plans for tomorrow do you?" Rossi asked with a big smile on his face. 

"Nothing other than doing nothing," Spencer answer when Aaron didn't.

"Well, wedding at my house."

"Who did you convince to marry you?" Aaron asked, a playful smile on his face.

"I'm not getting married. JJ finally accepted Will's numerous proposals, and I'm feeling good after today, so wedding at my house for JJ and Will." Rossi's smile just got bigger, and he looked around before speaking again, even though they were alone. Garcia had left at some point. Probably just in case Aaron and Spencer did anything naughty. "It's going to be a surprise, so it's just going to be called a party."

"Count us in," Aaron said, and Spencer wanted to balk at him answering for the both of him, but he knew that even if it had just been a regular party, Spencer would have gone for getting to just relax with the team. But that it was JJ's wedding meant that he was going to go.

"Nothing in the world could stop me from being there," Spencer said.

* * *

_ Mirror World _

Jackson was settling into the house. It had not been very hard to talk the man into partially moving in. Aaron and Spencer knew he still greatly valued his privacy. He was a man married to his work, his companies, but he wanted to have that place in their lives he had been invited into. The suite of rooms right across from theirs was perfect, and Jackson moved into it with ease. The house was filling up and Spencer found that he was liking it. He and Aaron had always liked having those close to them around, and everyone was cognizant of their privacy. Though Charlie and Derek were talking about getting their own place soon. 

When Jackson and Charlie met it was fairly dynamic. Though Charlie would always be a little damaged by what happened to him with his friends and family, he was settling more and more in the stable relationship with Derek. Spencer was surprised that Derek was settling more into the relationship with Charlie. They really did seem like they were the perfect match for each other. With Charlie more stable, Jackson knew what kind of asset he would be and offered him a job in the research arm of Grimes Tech. It took a little while to iron everything out, but Charlie was ecstatic at getting back into work and research had always been a hobby for him, now it was his job. He wasn’t sure if he was ever going to be able to teach again, but Spencer had a feeling with more time, and more counseling that he would be back in front of a classroom. This meant the two men would be able to find something nice that they would be happy with.

Spencer had also been watching JJ for a while. After they had returned from Spain there was an uncharacteristic smile on her face, and often Spencer would see her staring off into space with that same smile. It was weird, and Spencer wasn’t sure how to approach her about it. As he was trying to figure it all out, one evening JJ had gotten dressed-up. This wasn’t unusual in that she was their personal assistant and often accompanied Aaron and Spencer on their many engagements. This, though, was different. There was nothing that Aaron and Spencer were committed for, so the getting dressed up was unusual. 

When there was a ringing of the doorbell, Spencer decided to snoop. When Carson, their butler, opened the door and there stood Anthony DiNozzo, Spencer just raised a brow. When JJ came out of her rooms, looking amazing, Spencer watched as Tony wrapped JJ up in his arms and laid a gentle kiss on her lips. They talked in hushed tones, and the smiles on both of their faces told Spencer everything he needed to know. He quietly left them alone knowing JJ would tell him about Tony when she was ready. Which, he suspected she was close to doing. She would have met him wherever they were going if she did not want people to start finding out. Spencer was happy for her, and he suspected that Tony’s son was going to be good for her as well. He would keep an eye on them though, he did not want to see her hurt a second time. Tony would regret it.

Spencer moved through the house a little unsettled. Aaron was out on a business trip, something about one of their higher priced clients getting himself in trouble. That wasn’t anything unusual, and him being alone wasn’t anything unusual, just these feelings of unrest were. He checked on Jack, who was busy with homework so that he could have the weekend free for when Aaron got back home. There were plans to go up to New York for a couple of days, which Spencer was looking forward to. 

Leaning on the doorjamb of Jack’s room Spencer watched the boy for a moment. He missed when he was little. When he asked a million questions, like the Jack in the other world. Spencer had shed the other Aaron quickly, but Jack and Henry still lingered in his heart. He had his Jack back, but it didn’t negate his feelings for the other boys. He knew he was going to have to talk to Aaron soon about what he was feeling. He did not want to have this sitting between them, and he knew the longer he kept it inside, the worse it would get. 

Arms wrapped around his waist making Spencer lean back into the body behind him. He had taken to Jackson’s affection quicker than he thought he would have. It felt good to have him there.

“What’s wrong Spencer?” Jackson asked quietly in his ear.

“I don’t want to talk about it yet. Not till Aaron gets back.”

“Come on, let's have a drink and you can sit on my lap while we watch a movie.”

Spencer smiled to himself and nodded. He turned in Jackson’s arms and let himself be held a moment before they moved to the small theatre. Jackson got them a drink, then picked out a movie from their extensive movie collection. Locking the door so no one would intrude on them, Spencer settled on his lap, leaning into the man he enjoyed the relaxing comfort. The hand stroking his cock through his trousers set that low burn in his belly. Jackson liked to play with him even more than Aaron did. That had been a revelation to Spencer, how much Jackson liked sensation play. Where Aaron liked to play hard, Jackson liked to draw out their sessions. Make his body hum with over-stimulation to the point where it hurt, but hurt in the way that Spencer liked. 

As the movie played, Spencer barely paid attention to it. Jackson had been slowly undressing him, revealing his body one piece of clothing at a time. Teeth scraped against his neck while nails raked over his chest. Jackson played with his nipple rings, pulling sounds from Spencer while his cock hardened even more under Jackson’s hand. He sipped at the brandy, a particular favorite of Spencer’s. The combination of alcohol and the hands touching him was enough to pull him out of his swirling thoughts and helped to still his mind. He slowly sank into the floating space that he loved.

“On your knees Petite Chou,” Jackson cooed as Spencer slid off his lap and worked open his trousers. Slipping his hand inside he pulled out the hard and leaking cock of the man that had become his second Dom. When he took the cock in his mouth and pulled a moan from Jackson, Spencer shivered slightly in anticipation of what was to come. 

A hand slipped into Spencer’s hair, geipping hard, pushing him down more onto his lover’s cock. 

“Fuck, you are too good at this,” Jackson was panting from the pleasure of Spencer’s mouth stretched around his cock. “But, I want more.” Gripping the hair hard, Spencer was pulled off his cock and made to stand up. “Take off  the rest of your clothes.”

 Without saying a word, Spencer pulled off his socks, trousers and boxers. At Jackson’s prodding, Spencer stripped the man’s pants and underwear off of him. Pulling a bottle of lube that had been hidden under the seat, Spencer slicked up his fingers and waited for Jackson to tell him what to do.

 “Let me see you finger yourself.” Spencer turned around and sat back on Jackson’s lap. Leaning forward, using the back of the chair in front of him to steady himself, he reached behind and started to finger himself open.

 “Now two.” Nails scraped down his back hard enough that Spencer knew welts would show up. He moaned in the pleasure as he used two fingers. He was getting lost in his head when his wrist was gripped tight, stopping him. Jackson pulled his hand free, then grabbed his waist in a hard grip. He was pulled back till his ass was nestled against Jackson’s cock. 

 “Lift up, then sit on my cock.” Spencer obeyed loving the slow burn of the cock stretching him as he slid down. “Beautiful.” Jackson wrapped one arm around his waist holding him tight against his body, then he felt it as powerful legs were used to lift hips up pushing the cock into him over and over. Jackson’s other hand wrapped around his cock and stroked. “When I tell you, come, but hold your release.”

 Spencer used the arms of the theater chair to hold himself up just enough for Jackson to get more leverage. The dual sensations of cock and hand were driving Spencer crazy.

 “Come,” Spencer cried out as he came, but didn’t release. “Now, turn around and sit on my legs.” Spencer wasn’t sure exactly what Jackson wanted, but he quickly figured out he wanted Spencer to place his bent legs on Jackson’s thighs. Hands gripped his ass then a mouth wrapped around his cock. He was encouraged to slowly fuck Jackson’s mouth. Fingers pushed inside his hole, fucking in and out hard. He gripped the back of the chair hard to keep himself upright.

 “Fuck, Spencer, you’re beautiful. Come in my mouth then after you do, sit back on my cock.” 

 “Close, Dominae.” Spencer about screamed when he was pulled all the way into Jackson’s mouth, the head of his cock slipped down his Dom’s throat, but then he was pushed back till just his head was still in Jackson’s mouth. He was shaking as he came. Sinking down, he reached back and gripped Jackson’s cock then slid back down onto it. The movie played in the background, all but forgotten.

 He was surprised when he was kissed and his cum was pushed into his mouth. It didn’t take a genius to know what the man wanted. Hands gripped his waist once again and he was fucked into hard as he kissed Jackson, passing the ball of cum back to him. This went on for a few minutes till Jackson stilled, tongue down his throat he felt the swell of the cock inside him as he kissed his Dom hard. Jackson swallowed the snowball as he came inside Spencer. A hand wrapped around his once again hard cock and pumped him till he came, striping Jackson’s chest with his release. He slumped down, his eyes drooping, he felt boneless as he was lifted up. Jackson helped him back into his clothes, turned off the movie, then helped Spencer up to his suite of rooms where he was prodded into a shower, then into bed where Jackson wrapped around him. The two fell asleep fairly quickly. 

 Waking up in Jackson’s bed had been odd for the few times that Spencer slept with him and not Aaron. What surprised Spencer was how well Aaron was taking the sharing. There had been long conversations with the three men about likes, dislikes, boundaries, and what each of them expected out of this new dynamic. With Aaron gone, Spencer liked having someone to wake-up to. When that man was turning him over and kissing him that was even better.

 “Morning Petite Chou,” Jackson moaned against Spencer’s lips as he pressed him down on the bed. Spencer was still cuffed, the setup was almost exactly like Aaron’s. 

 “Morning Dominae.” Spencer closed his eyes and tried to lift his legs to wrap around Jackson. When he was pressed back on the bed, he just waited to see what Jackson wanted. The night before they had played, but it wasn’t hard, just enough to tease so Jackson had an excuse to pamper him.

 “You look absolutely delicious this morning. I think we’ll take our time getting up.” 

 Spencer was more than happy with that idea.

* * *

Spencer was agitated. He knew what it was and he knew he needed to bring it up with Aaron. He wasn’t sure why he was so nervous to do it, though. They were in the office, Aaron having gotten back on the Thursday before, then they had spent the weekend in New York. Dinner, a play, an art opening, business breakfast, and other things occupied their time that Spencer had not had the chance to talk to his lover about what he wanted. Closing his eyes he steeled his courage, stood and dropped down next to Aaron’s chair, head down, hands behind his back.

“Pet?”

Aaron turned so that he was positioned directly in front of Spencer. Fingers threaded through his hair grounding him.

“Something I’ve wanted to talk to you about, Sir.”

“Pet, you know you can tell me anything.” Aaron tilted his head down a bit towards Spencer.

“I haven’t known how to talk about this. Sir, what do you think of adopting?” Spencer’s heart was pounding in his chest as he sat there, strung tighter than a guitar. He felt like he was ready to snap at anytime.

“This had been on your mind since you returned, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Stand-up Pet. If we are going to talk about this, it will be as Aaron and Spencer, not Dom and Sub.” Aaron let Spencer stand-up then they moved over to one of couches. Spencer sat in one corner with his legs up against his chest and arms wrapped around them. 

“You want another child, Spencer?”

“When I was there I met little Henry. I got to see what he would have been like and…” Spencer looked off to the side trying to settle the emotions that came up when it came to the other Jack and Henry.

“You fell in love, didn’t you?”

Spencer nodded finding it unable to talk. He refused to let any tears fall as he tried not to think of the boys that he had left behind. He felt Aaron watching him and waited.

“We should talk to Jack and Jackson. This should be a family decision, but I’m not opposed.” Then Aaron smiled that smile he gets when a plan forms in his head. Spencer kept watching him wondering what he was contemplating. “The publicity would also be to our advantage. We can start making plans after we talk tonight.”

There was no way that Spencer was going to be able to keep the excitement to himself. He would be wound up tight till plans were firmed up and they figured out how they wanted to approach this. 

“Thank you, Sir.” He uncurled himself and flung into Aaron’s arms.

“Anything for you Spencer. Always anything for you.”

The rest of the day passed quickly, Spencer worked with renewed vigor as he thought over all of the possibilities. When they arrived home, before they had dinner served, that family talk happened. Spencer was more nervous about what Jackson was going to say. Jack had expressed his desire for a sibling over the years, even though at the time neither man had considered another child. The boy was as excited as his Papa which made Aaron happy by extension. Jackson was intrigued. He was realistic in that he never had thought about fathering a child himself, but Jack in his life had been a bonus. He loved the boy as an Uncle, happy to spend time with him, take him out, have him over on weekends and such, then was all too happy to then give him back to his father’s. Now that he was living in the mansion full-time, he got to spend even more time with Jack and found he enjoyed the boys company even more. Still, it would be nowhere near the same type of relationship that Aaron and Spencer had with the boy, it was their own special thing. Another child, he was sure, would not change his mind or his heart, but he didn’t mind the thought of more children around.

“So, that is settled then. I’ll have our lawyer start out on the search. Now, let’s have dinner.” Dinner was always an interesting affair, Aaron and Spencer were never sure on who was going to join them. Tonight, however, it appeared as if everyone decided to have a night in. There was lively conversation as everyone got caught up on each other’s lives. JJ at one point had made an announcement that she would like to have a special dinner the next Friday and would like everyone to attend. Spencer had a good idea what it was, but he would let her have her day. He was happy for her and knew things around the house were going to change drastically over the next few months. He was okay with that. Change was no longer as scary for Spencer as it had once been. He learned with Aaron to just go with it, not to let the constant flux of life make him upset or anxious. This philosophy was what had kept him going in the other world, but Spencer could say that he would be forever grateful to his counterpart for getting him back home. 

 

* * *

 

The weeks went by, the lawyer found several possibilities for adoption, but when Spencer and Aaron went to talk to the mother’s something always held them back. It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with any of them, each woman was a great candidate, but both men knew, somehow, that it wasn’t the right fit for them. There was nothing big, sometimes it was the smallest thing. Past drug use, not the highest IQ of either parent, questions of the Father giving up their own rights, or something. Spencer knew it wasn’t that Aaron was hesitating or backing out because he too had those same reservations. So, they continued as they were, patient and taking their time.

Spencer had Aaron agree that Jack should not be involved till they knew for sure what was going to happen. They didn’t want the boy to be continually disappointed. While the lawyer kept searching for them, they worked their cases, and spent time with their ever growing extended family.

Spencer was finishing up some reports when his thoughts wandered to the dinner that JJ had planned where she finally told everyone her news.

“Stop fidgeting, Pet.” Aaron’s sharp tone had Spencer calming down immediately.

“I’m just anxious to see what it is JJ wanted to tell us.”

“I know you are, but you need to be patient. She went to a lot of trouble for this dinner. You need to let her have her evening.” 

“I know.” Spencer waited patiently for Aaron to finish getting dressed. He had asked Spencer to wait that he and Jackson had a surprise for him. A few minutes later, Aaron came back in the room with Jackson and the two men handed over a large square slim wrapped box over to Spencer.

“What’s this? Is there something I missed?” If Spencer did not have his PDA with him constantly he would forget the little things. He may have an eidetic memory, but sometimes everyday things slipped past him.

“No, just something we had made. Open it Petite Chou.” Jackson was smiling and rocking back on his feet in anticipation.

Spencer moved to the end of the bed and opened the box. In it laid a new collar. This one was done in platinum and white gold. Strands had been braided together in an intricate pattern, with the platinum on top and the white gold on the bottom, then the two were braided together in the middle. It wasn’t dainty by any means. The collar was sturdy, but stunning. There were small amethyst and purple tourmaline studs dotting the woven strands. Hanging down were two interconnected rings. Spencer’s heart raced at the beautiful, intricate collar.

“We would like you to wear it tonight.” Jackson stepped up and pulled the piece from the box and held it up. The lock on the back was a double lock and was just as intricate as the rest of the piece. Spencer stood and turned around. He looked up and the heat in Aaron’s eyes had Spencer swallowing hard. No one other than himself or Aaron had ever taken off or put on one of his collars. Letting Jackson do it was another step in the man weaving himself even more into their lives. Aaron stepped closer and held Spencer’s face in his hands. Whatever he was searching for, Spencer thought he must have found it because once the new collar was locked in place the kiss he got was hard and searing. 

Jackson pressed along his back, and Spencer moaned as a mouth licked along the part of his neck that wasn’t covered by the collar. Hands wandered over him when he felt his trousers opening. They fell to the floor along with his boxer briefs. Two hands grabbed his now aching cock and stroked him.

“Ours, aren’t you, Pet.”

Spencer moaned at the touch, and the words whispered in his ear.

“Yes.”

“Will you come for me, Petite Chou? Come in Aaron’s hand when I tell you?” Jackson whispered in his other ear. Spencer whined, barely holding on at the erotic interplay with his two Dom’s.

“Yes,” Spencer thrust into those hands that hadn’t stopped.

“Come, now.” Jackson demanded as Aaron held out his other hand to catch his release. If it wasn’t for the arm around his waist, Spencer knew he would have slumped to the floor. “So good for us, aren’t you?”

“Yes, Dominae.” Another searing kiss as both men pressed him between them. He knew what they were doing, it was a claiming for the two of them. He had a good idea that Jackson was going to mark him in someway soon to further cement his place in their lives, and Spencer was very much looking forward to it.

The two men slowly backed away, making sure that Spencer could stand on his own, then as Aaron went to clean up, Jackson helped Spencer redress.

“There is more in the box.” Spencer, still a little high from the orgasm, sat down and pulled he box closer. Inside were two leashes that were identical. As well as matching cuffs that could be attached to the collar by a set of sturdy, but delicate chains. Matching cuff links and ear studs were in there also, which gave Spencer pause.

“Something we can talk about later, but Aaron told me you had been thinking about it.”

 “I have.” Spencer looked at the pairs of studs. They were in various shades of purple with a platinum set and a white gold set. “Thank you, for everything.”

 “How about after dinner, we go to the club.” Spencer shivered in anticipation knowing that they both would want to show him off. 

 “Yes.” He stood and put the lid back on the box, knowing Aaron would put everything away later. They had a dinner to attend.

 When they stepped out to the dining room, JJ was there looking beautiful as ever. He went to her and gave her a hug. 

 “Spence, you look stunning.” Her eyes were on the collar as well as the look on his face.

 “So do you. Now, you going to tell us what’s going on?”

 “In a minute.” Aaron and Jackson also gave their complements to her while they waited for whatever it was that JJ wanted to tell them. After a few minutes of small talk, the doorbell rang, and JJ was the one to go answer it. When she came back in the dining room with Tony on her arm, Spencer’s suspicions were verified. 

 “Everyone, I know most of you know Anthony DiNozzo, Jr. We’ve been dating for a few months now and we just wanted you guys to finally know.”

 “Congratulations. JJ, just tell me one thing, are you happy?” Aaron asked as he gave her a quick hug.

“Yes, Aaron. I am very happy.”

 “Good, that’s all I need to know.”

 Tony relaxed as they all sat around the table making small talk and really getting to know each other.

 Spencer was brought out of the memories by a touch on his shoulder.

 “Spencer, we have to go. I just got a call from the police. Mrs. Ogden was murdered. Her sister is asking for us.”

 “What?! What happened?”

 “Ogden violated the restraining order, and the police detail was pulled. They believed he was going to stay away.”

 Spencer stood and grabbed his satchel and followed Aaron out of the office and to their car. It wasn’t long before they made it to the Ogden household where police and emergency vehicles were everywhere. Ogden had not even tried to run. As soon as Spencer and Aaron stepped out of their vehicle the police tried to bar their entrance.

 “The sister asked for us personally. I’m Elizabeth Ogden’s lawyer, Aaron Hotchner. There was supposed to be a custody hearing tomorrow and I’m fairly positive that the husband was going to lose custody.”

 “I know who you are Sir. Recognize you from television. Go right in. The detective will want to speak with you.”

 “Thank you Officer.” The yellow crime tape was lifted for them to go through. They approached the house with no further issues and when they entered they found Shannon McPherson, the victim’s sister, in the kitchen with a Detective. She had a little girl on her lap who was trying not to cry and a baby in a playpen that was whimpering and fidgety. Spencer didn’t even think about it as he walked to the playpen and picked up the eight month old. Cradling the boy in his arms, the baby quieted immediately.

 “Excuse me, but may I ask what brought you here Mr. Hotchner, Mr. Reid?”

 “Elizabeth was my client. She was in a custody battle with her newly ex-husband. In fact the hearing was supposed to be tomorrow. Ms. McPherson asked us here on her and her sister’s behalf.”

 “It’s fairly clear what happened. Mrs. Ogden was getting breakfast ready for her and her children when her ex-husband broke down the door. That set off an alarm and both security and police were called out. Mrs. Ogden was shot three times, then the ex-husband was going to turn the gun on his two children. We believe his end game was going to be murder suicide. It was lucky that security arrived just minutes later. Then police.”

 “Shannon,” Aaron moved to sit on a chair in front of the woman. He looked up a moment and saw how Spencer was talking to the baby, quieting him down. He turned his attention back to the woman who was still trying to get the little girl to calm down. “What do you want to do about the children?”

 “I…” Shannon McPherson was rattled in more ways than one. After having spent time with her over the last few months, Aaron knew she cared about her niece and nephew, but was ill equipped to take care of the full-time. She had been going back to college and only had a part-time job. Even if the house sold, there were stipulations that any money left was to be put in a trust for the children. Elizabeth had planned if her husband got violent with her.

 “I know your situation, Shannon. But you are their Aunt and their last legal relative. If you can’t take care of them then they have to go to Social Services.”

 “NO!” Spencer shocked everyone in the room by the vehemence in just that single word. “They cannot go to Social Services, Aaron.”

 Aaron was fully aware of the little girl that was trying to reach out to him. He looked at her a moment, then pulled her onto his own lap. He and Spencer had spent time with the children during the divorce and helping Elizabeth with the custody issues. He looked again at Spencer who had put the baby, now asleep, back in the playpen. 

 “You know I don’t have the resources Mr. Hotchner. I love them, I do, but I don’t a full-time job and trying to finish college. If...if you need to take them...I understand.” Aaron watched the young woman as she appeared to collapse in on herself. The stress and emotions of the last few hours obviously getting to her. “But, I want to still be part of their lives. Please?”

 “That is something that can be discussed.” Aaron stood and talked to the Detective for a few moments, answering questions about the divorce and the custody case. When he was done he went back over to Spencer who was playing with the little girl, showing her some magic tricks. The smile on his face, he would smile like that when showing Jack something when the boy was that age. Aaron started to think, to plan. He just might be able to turn this situation to their advantage.

 “I’m Mrs. Angela Dempsey, Virginia State Child Welfare.” The woman held up her credentials to the officer. Aaron had turned around at her voice. The smile he felt forming was almost feral. He most definitely could turn this to his and Spencer’s advantage.

 “Angela.” Aaron stood and took the two steps to get to the woman.

 “Mr. Hotchner, I didn’t realize you would be here.”

 “Elizabeth Ogden was my client. And, in turn so are her children. I’ve already spoken to the aunt and she has admitted that her situation is not ideal for taking the children. At this time she does not have the money or resources to take them. She would also never be able to keep the payments on the house to try to keep it. So, I have a proposal…” Aaron poured on his Southern charm as he gently led Angela to another room to talk.

 Spencer watched out of the corner of his eyes as Aaron took the social worker aside. His heart raced and his excitement built just a bit. If he knew his partner like he did, they would walk out of the house with emergency custody of the children. 

 “Mr. Hotchner, just come by later this afternoon to sign the paperwork. Of course there will be an inspection in the next few days, which I know won’t be an issue. I’m confident that you will be able to care for these children to the best of your ability.”

 Spencer swallowed hard. He knew that he should somehow feel guilty for taking advantage of the situation, but he didn’t. This was an opportunity, and Aaron was going to exploit it with the cunning and care that he was known for. There were a few things to iron out, but after another three hours, Aaron and Spencer were walking out of the Ogden house with Aria and Hayden Ogden in their custody. The first hurdle easily crossed. Spencer knew it was just a matter of time before full adoption took place. And, he knew Aaron would go to incredible lengths to get him what he wanted, and Aria and Hayden he very much wanted.

 

* * *

 

“You were going to kill your own children Mr. Ogden. I’m not here to play games. Sign these documents and you never have to see me again.” Aaron slid the documents that would sever Pierce Ogden’s parental rights completely. 

“They are my kids.” The man yelled as he surged up, but the chains kept him in the chair.

“Not anymore. My partner will make a much better father than you ever were. Do you want to know what he did when he found the bruises on Aria’s arm?”

“She was being a brat. You have to put children in their place.” Ogden sneered as he tried to shove the documents away from him. 

Aaron stood and circled the desk till he was standing behind Ogden. Grabbing the man’s long hair he pulled till his lips were practically against Ogden’s ear.

“He was so pissed off he found one of your lowlife scum buddies, took him to an undisclosed location and tortured him till he told Spencer everything you had ever done to Aria. Tim spilled his guts. Now, I had to stop him from coming here and doing this.” Aaron let the man go as he took out his phone and showed him pictures of what Spencer had done to Ogden’s buddy. The man went pale and started to shake. 

Leaning down and grabbing the arms of the chair Ogden was chained to, Aaron was once again in his face.

“I could easily get you pulled from special circumstances and thrown into general. You really don’t want me to do that because everything will come out. And there are a lot of these guys who are loving father’s and would never think to raise their hand to their children. Much less the things you tried to do to that little girl. Now, if  you want to survive, you will sign.”

Ogden was shaking as Aaron pulled back and sat in a chair directly in front of the man. He pulled to documents closer and put the pen in Ogden’s hand. The man glared at Aaron a moment, but he couldn’t hold his own against him. Holding the pen tight he signed the documents.

Aaron stood and took the papers, putting them in his briefcase he started to leave the jail. As he passed some of the guards he talked to the head of Ogden’s block, passed him a small rolled up wad of cash.

“You know exactly what to do.” Aaron quietly told him the kind of man Ogden was. The guard’s eyes went cold and flat. He nodded as he let Aaron out of the block.

“Don’t worry Mr. Hotchner, I’ll take care of it personally.”

“Good. Until next time Joseph. And take that pretty wife of yours out to a nice dinner.”

The guard smiled and tilted his head just a bit.

Aaron sped home, wanting to give Spencer the very good news that the next phase to legally adopting the children was complete.

* * *

_ Our World _

Spencer was looking forward to an hour or two of silence. Aaron had been on the Hill all day in meetings, and Jack was having a sleepover at a friend's, they had dropped him off that morning. Spencer liked summer better now that Jack was out of school. It meant later bedtimes for the boy, and that meant that he basically went to sleep when Aaron and Spencer did. Which meant that a lot of just cuddling had been going on. Spencer wasn't opposed to sex he just wasn't settled enough for it yet. The first few days of being back had been a rush of emotion and excitement, but now the guilt had fully settled in again. He hadn't got settled in, and it was showing. 

Aaron just wasn't seeing it or thought that if he ignored it, it would go away. Spencer wasn't sure exactly how he should go about telling Aaron his needs. He hadn't been even remotely trained for that. Aaron had gone to two different sessions with Trevor, and while it settled Aaron more, it unsettled Spencer as Aaron wasn't letting him go. If it weren't for the fact that Aaron would never cheat, Sensor would be nervous. He had no clue what to feel about that. 

Spencer let himself into his apartment and let his bag drop to the floor before he toed off his shoes and let himself flop on the couch. He set his phone on the coffee table and closed his eyes. He just wanted a nap before his night alone with Aaron.

The feel of a hand on his thigh woke Spencer up with a shout. He reached for his gun and found it gone. So he struck out at the figure above him. His fist was caught with one hand and his legs pinned with the other arm. He tried to wiggle away but the figure held him down on the couch, Spencer opened his mouth to scream, and a mouth crashed down onto it, muffling the scream. The figure shifted, and instead of pinning his legs with his arm, the figure was straddling Spencer's legs. 

Brain getting over the startle and settled into full thinking mode, Spencer finally recognized Aaron on top of him. His eyes were adjusted to the low light. He went utterly relaxed under the older man, and he finally let go of Spencer's hand. 

"You didn't even wake up when I took off your gun. How asleep were you?" Aaron asked as he finally pulled back and allowed Spencer to breathe.

"I was dreaming if that tells you anything."

"Sorry. I thought you'd just got home and was only dozing." Aaron manipulated Spencer onto his side and pressed him into the back of the couch, laying face to face with Spencer. "You got off early today."

"With Grace making sure that no one slips me files, I don't have half of everyone else's and my own, I even got a few days of next week's work for Jackson done. I'm all set for a weekend of doing nothing work related."

"Jack called and wanted to know if he could stay until Sunday morning. I've been waiting for you at home for two hours."

"I'm sorry. I thought you would be on the Hill longer. You didn't tell me you were getting done early." Spencer leaned over Aaron and grabbed his phone, His alarm was set or five minutes from then. "I had an alarm set for right about now. I was going to shower and head over to yours."

"Why didn't you just nap at ours? The bed had to be more comfortable than this couch."

"I have a paper I need to work on and the textbook is here. I was going to nap and then grab it before going to yours." 

Aaron frowned at him, and Spencer didn't like where this was going either. He was trying to just keep his head down while they worked out their issues. He didn't want a blow-up, and he didn't want to upset Aaron. Everything was his fault that it was all so messed up and it would get better. It had to. Spencer wiggled around, and Aaron did sit up so that Spencer could get off the couch. He moved to the bedroom and found a pair of black jeans to wear as well as a dress shirt and a light vest. E laid the out on the bed and started to undress. He heard Aaron step up behind him but didn't turn around. 

"So you are just going to shower here?" Aaron asked. 

Spencer rebutted his shirt and picked up tithes to lay the over his arm. "I can shower at your place."

"Our place," Aaron said sternly. 

"Our place." The words tasted wrong in his mouth. He followed Aaron to the apartment, grabbing the textbook and his bag before setting the alarm and locking the door. Aaron said nothing as Spencer set his things down on the coffee table and moved to the bedroom to take his shower. Spencer was so unsure of himself. At work, he was the creature he had become at the hands of the other Aaron, but at home, he caved back to his old self. The other Spencer left detailed notes on everything, except the sex life that Spencer had been leading with Aaron. He had no clue what Aaron liked, hated, what h had done, hadn't done. It was all so different, and he still felt like he was on a shaky floor that could cave in at any moment. 

Before Aaron's emotions had been an open book to Spencer, at least when they were alone but the Aaron he came back to was different, and Spencer had no understanding of how or why. Spencer was lost, and he didn't know how to save himself or even start to find the way home. Spencer knew he was using Jack as a buffer to keep himself safe from anything sexual. He and Aaron had had sex a few times, but it was rushed in the mornings or the shower. To Spencer it was a means to an end. He hoped that each encounter would lessen his guilt. It never did, though. He was afraid t was adding to it. He'd not been what the other had needed. He had been able to settle into his life and be as much as he could the Spencer he needed, but in the end, he had failed. 

He and the other Aaron had discussed that there were plenty of firsts left for Spencer and his Aaron. That they were fundamentally different and Spencer should look with excitement for the firsts, but Spencer wasn't sure he could do it. Spencer didn't know what his own role in his own personal life was. Instead, he was just going with the flow.

Spencer knew he was taking a long time in the shower, but he was aware that the moment he left, Aaron would be there. Aaron would want sex. Spencer's sex drive wasn't exactly high at all since he'd come back. He was used to sex on a regular basis, but hi mind wasn't anywhere near primed for it. Work was exhausting. It wasn't even the added job of the Database Project, that part was simple for him. It was a way to stretch his mind and relax it. It was Morgan and his near fanatical ability to leak his worry everywhere. Morgan could do the job he had been given if he would just calm down and do it. He'd been a good Unit Chief during the Foyet debacle, but Aaron had been there to help when Morgan needed it. 

Morgan was making himself an island, and he needed to not be. He was going to crash and burn, and it was going to happen on a case, and Spencer knew it. He just had to keep an eye and make sure that the fallout wasn't too great. That lives weren't lost in the process. It didn't help that Prentiss was acting weird. It had taken Spencer a few days after the bank case for him to realize that she had one foot out the door already. She'd been distant and aloof at JJ and Will's wedding and cold after it. Alex was a high point on the team after getting back. 

When the water started to turn a little cold, Spencer shut it off and stepped out to dry off. He was shocked Aaron wasn't in the bathroom, so he took his time. Making sure his hair was totally dry. A hold over from the other world. He looked at himself and the collar he was wearing. He still didn't recognize himself. He wasn't the man that had stared at him from the mirrors in the other world, but he wasn't the man he had been before either. Spencer wasn't even sure that it was a mix of the two. He wasn't sure who he was anymore. 

The door opened as Sensor was putting his towel in the hamper. Aaron wasn't dressed at all. Spencer smiled at him, hoping it cover the feelings that he was having. 

"Just wanted to check on you."

"Just got lost in my head thinking about the paper I need to work on."

"Ah," Aaron said. He stepped up to Spencer and laid his hands on his shoulders before kissing him. Spencer kissed back, faking the fervor and lust that Aaron was giving him. He was entirely lost in the emotions he was trying to give that he didn't realize that Aaron had even started to touch him other than his shoulders. A hand on his hip was gripping him tight, and the other was trying to push him down. His knee had been better, and so he dropped to his knees, licking at the head of the cock in front of him. This he could do, he hoped that maybe he'd be able to get Aaron off and make it seem that hi stressful day was causing his lack of reaction. 

Aaron moaned loudly as Spencer licked from base to tip on the underside before taking Aaron all the way down. Spencer worked Aaron well, not making it fast in hopes that Aaron would lose himself in the pleasure of it all. Spencer knew from the sounds that he was making that Aaron was getting close even before the grip on his hair tightened and it was urging him faster and faster. When Aaron finally tipped over the precipice, Spencer licked him clean after swallowing. Spencer stayed on his knees as Aaron got himself under control. The older man looked down at him and impaled before urging him to stand. Aaron's hand went right to Spencer's cock, and he frowned when he found it soft.

"I'm just mentally exhausted, Aaron."

"Why don't we go watch some TV then." Aaron cupped the left side of Spencer's face turning it so that he could kiss the opposite cheek. 

"Okay." Spencer allowed himself to be led to the bedroom where he sat down on the bed, upset in a million different ways. Aaron dressed while Spencer half-heartedly rubbed at his hair with the hand towel he'd grabbed. Spencer watched Aaron as he moved around the room, grabbing a pair of jeans and a soft t-shirt. Spencer looked at his clothes that he had picked and saw them for what they were for the first time. Armor. The other Spencer wore them as a way to show the world what he was. What he wanted them to see of him that was, but Spencer was just wearing them to protect himself. He wasn't yet the person that could wear the clothes because they were clothes, they were still armor for him, but Spencer would fake it until he could make it, as he'd heard Garcia say once. 

Aaron finished dressing and stepped out of the room. Spencer watched him go, and his heart fell to the floor. He stood up and moved to the bathroom, grabbing his clothes as he did. Spencer dressed mechanically as he tried to decide what he was going to do because he couldn't go to that living room. He just couldn't stand sitting on the couch and watched TV with Aaron and let his brain swirl and swirl. He looked at himself in the mirror, and he knew part of the problem. 

"That movie we started last weekend?" Aaron called out. 

"Sure!" Spencer yelled back and then shut the bathroom door. He unbuttoned his shirt and looked at the collar. It was just nothing more than a necklace to him. There was no meaning, just like there had been when he'd first been in the other world. Meaning had come as Spencer had given into the submission. There was none of that here. There was no meaning at all to the leather on his neck. 

Spencer started to work the collar open, but his hands and fingers weren't working right. Spencer scrabbled and fought against the leather, and he felt his fingers digging into his skin, but he didn't care. Spencer wanted it gone. He needed it gone. He finally got the collar open, and he flung it into the corner, not caring where it landed. He didn't hear it make noise, but he didn't look either. Without looking at his naked neck, Spencer buttoned up his shirt all the way, making sure that his bare neck couldn't be seen by anyone else. He settled himself before he took a last look in the Mirror his shower could explain the flush on his face. 

The sound of his cell phone alerting him to a text told Spencer that he had seconds before Aaron came into the room with the phone. He had his phone set to loud because he was expecting a text from Jackson and hadn't wanted to sleep through it. Spencer was correct that Aaron knocked on the bathroom door before Spencer could get it open. He had Spencer's phone in hand. Screen dark. Spencer smiled at him as he stepped past him towards the door leading out of the bedroom. Spencer unlocked his phone and opened his messaging application. He found that it wasn't just the notification that Jackson was in town but that he wanted to do brunch to discuss the project. It said where Jackson was staying even though it was the same place he had been staying at last time as he owned the entire floor of the high rise. Spencer smiled and chuckled at him, but as the knowledge that Jackson was right there crept across his brain, Spencer knew what he needed to do.

"Anything wrong?"

"Jackson wants to move up the brunch from tomorrow to a dinner tonight, just in case a case comes up. Since we are both here now."

"You need to relax, Spencer," Aaron said, and he sounded sincere, but Spencer couldn't stand the thought of staying there any longer.

"And I can do that once work is done. Now I can get it all done today and not have to think about it all weekend long."

Aaron stared at him like he was trying to find the lie, but Spencer knew that he wouldn't. Aaron didn't know him that well. 

"Okay," Aaron agreed. He moved over to where Spencer had set his bag and picked it up, slipping his tablet inside it before handing it over. Spencer lifted the strap over his head and rested it on his shoulder. Aaron kissed him, hard and profound before letting him go. Spencer moved to the door, and when he stopped in the doorway before leaving, he looked back at Aaron. The man wasn't looking at him but was instead sitting down on the couch. The TV was off, and there was silence in the apartment. The words of goodbye were locked in Spencer's throat.

The elevator ride down was thankfully quick and alone. Spencer settled down in the corner as the floors ticked away, taking him to freedom. The doors opened, and Spencer sighed in relief that the security on duty was one that he knew and knew well. 

"Doctor Reid," Clarence said with a large smile on his face. "Get called out? If so you forgot your go bag."

"No, Clarence. I am heading into work but not for a case."

"Working with Mr. Grimes?" Clarence asked. 

Spencer narrowed his eyes at the man. 

"My degree is in technology, remember?" Clarence pointed out, and Spencer relaxed because he did remember that. Clarence was going to school during the day, a full class load and then worked evenings in the building as a security guard in exchange for a discount on his rent. "I graduate in the spring, and when I do, I'm applying to work here in DC at Grimes Tech."

"Apply now and put your graduation date down. I know that Jackson is going to be opening a new firm here in town and if you put in that you'd be willing to do it and some security as well ad drop my name, I'm sure you'll get hired. I'll miss you here, but you deserve to get a good job."

"I'll go that in the morning before my first class. Do you want me to call a car?"

"Please. I don't know when I am going to be done for the day so if I am too tired I don't want to have to worry about driving."

Clarence picked up the phone and dialed a number by heart. Spencer waited until the man hung up before he moved towards the outside doors.

"Ten minutes, Doctor Reid!" Clarence called out to him. 

While he waited for the car, Spencer busied himself on his phone, checking with his assistant and minions in getting Texas's main hub set up. His assistant was there in Texas, being the onsite advisor for the whole project. It was earlier for them, so he didn't feel bad keeping them busy for a while. Keeping himself busy with anything but what he was actually doing was going to keep him from freaking out any more than he was. It wasn't until the car was stopping at the drop off for the high rise l that Spencer's hands started to shake again. He didn't know exactly what was wrong with him, but he knew that it wasn't good. His only thought was getting to Jackson. 

The elevator wasn't empty for Spencer's trip up to Jackson's suite. It stopped at nearly every single floor on the way up. He was let out on the top floor after almost seven minutes in the elevator. He found Jackson's suite and knocked on the door. Spencer gripped the strap on his bag as he heard a voice at the door. It opened up, and there was a man there that wasn't Jackson. 

"I'm sorry I have the wrong place," Spencer said, and he turned to look at the room numbers. Jackson had said it was where he had been staying, but maybe he had reversed the numbers.

"Spencer!" Jackson called out, and Spencer turned back around to see Jackson there at the doorway with his tie undone and swollen lips from kissing. Spencer looked at the man who had answered the door, it wasn't hard to figure out that he was an escort. Spencer knew that Jackson used them, it was an open secret. "Spencer?"

Jackson's voice changed as he took in Spencer. He pushed past the man and reached out for Spencer. When Spencer jerked away from his hand, Jackson's hand moved to where the strap of his bag to pull him into the apartment. Jackson maneuvered him to where he was sitting in a chair. Spencer tried to pay attention to what was going on but just being there in Jackson's domain had him falling apart. He felt safe to break down because Jackson would put him back together. Spencer looked up to see Jackson giving the man a few bills. Probably as a sorry that the night had been interrupted. Jackson kissed the man on the cheek before shutting the door. The man turned then and looked at Spencer.

"Can you talk?" Jackson asked as he approached Spencer like one would a hurt wild animal. He crouched in front of Spencer and testingly laid a hand on Spencer's knee. Spencer didn't jerk away from him.

"Did someone hurt you?" 

Spencer shook his head no, 

"Then why is your neck bleeding?" Jackson's free had touched the collar of Spencer's shirt, and it came away with a drop of blood on it. Spencer looked at Jackson shocked. "Okay, you didn't know you were bleeding. I have a nice big tub in my bathroom. Why don't we go in there? I think you could do with a warm up. 

"I'm sorry," Spencer whispered as Jackson stood up. He turned back to look at Spencer. Jackson said nothing but pulled Spencer into standing up. He was divested of his bag and his vest before they moved to the bedroom and the bathroom off of it. The bathroom door was locked, and then Jackson adjusted a thermostat, the sound of a heater kicking on startled Spencer a little. 

"Can you strip yourself?" Jackson asked, and Spencer nodded in answer. He turned to give Jackson his back, knowing that Jackson would see him naked, but there was something about fully undressing in front of him. "I'm going to strip down to my boxers, Spencer."

Spencer nodded, hoping that Jackson was looking at him. His hands were shaking as he unbuttoned his shirt and Spencer knew that he'd never get his pants off, so he stopped and turned around. Jackson was already down to his underwear and waiting on Spencer. When Spencer dropped his hands to his sides, Jackson stepped up.

"Too much difference from where you were to here right?"

Spencer nodded looking anywhere but at Jackson. Spencer felt each article of clothing leaving him, and it should have made him feel exposed, but it didn't. Jackson only looked at him to check for damage. Spencer could see his eye darting to each piece of flesh as it was revealed. When Spencer was naked, Jackson wrapped him in a robe that was so thick and fluffy that Spencer thought he was on a cloud. Jackson moved away to set up the bathtub. Spence watched him turn the handles to a particular position, and he grabbed a small bottle of something and dumped it all in the swirling water. After a minute the bathroom smelled wonderful. Spencer could pick out the notes of lavender, chamomile, and what he thought was eucalyptus. It helped to relax Spencer more. He inhaled deeply before looking around the bathroom. It was hedonistic, and it fit Jackson well. 

"I can't help if you don't talk and my head is swirling with trying to figure out why you would rip Hotch's collar off like you did."

"Not his. The other Spencer didn't consent to wear a collar that Aaron bought. He bought ones on his own, and this was one of them. I just needed out of there."

"You're not adjusting well to the personal side of being back, are you? You need to talk to him."

"I know I just don't know where to start. I never had to say anything before with the other Aaron."

"When I researched you for the job, your team came up. I will admit to less than legal means to get some but knowing the scope of you meant knowing your team. When it comes to his personal life, Aaron Hotchner is an ostrich. He didn't want to see his wife cheating on him."

"He talked about it, one night when he got drunk before she died. How he had been blind."

"You are going to have to force him to see it, to see you." Jackson stopped and was waiting for something from Spencer. When it didn't come, he sighed and stepped over to Spencer. "Let's table that for now. How do you feel right now?"

"Lost."

 "Why?"

 "I don't know my place in my own life."

 Jackson pulled Spencer with him towards the bath and shut the water off. Spencer shed the robe as Jackson got in first. He slipped into the water and sighed as it was the perfect temperature. He leaned back into Jackson's body and sighed. 

 "If I touch you and you don't like it just say. And you are showing me that ink before you leave."

 "The other Aaron and I designed it."

 "He marked you."

 "He marked his Spencer more, with a whip and a blade. This was a compromise I think. A way to show that I was his for even a short while."

 "Knowing what I know of the other Spencer I can see that. He was possessive."

 "He was a Sociopath," Spencer spat. He tried to reign it all in, but it just came out. Spencer had mourned the loss of the other Aaron and of the other Jack, the small family that Spencer had come to love, but Spencer had not mourned the life he had before. Instead, he settled down and tried to slot himself back into a hole that wasn't shaped for him anymore. Spencer knew that he'd done it in his professional life, but in his personal, he was letting Aaron call the shots for the most part because it was what he was used to after the last six months, but there was a fundamental difference between the other Aaron and the Aaron here. The other Aaron saw him. Saw him for him and didn't force him to be anyone else, unless they were in public and he had to be the other Spencer, but Aaron wasn't seeing him. He was still seeing the other Aaron. 

 "The other Spencer never wrote down the sex. I have no clue what sex they had done and what sex they talked about. I feel self-conscious, and I allow him to do whatever he wants. While I was away, I learned how much I love sucking cock. Just even thinking about it had me half hard. The other Aaron pushed me once to come just from sucking his cock. Tonight I gave Aaron a blow job, and I didn't even twitch in interest. I knew where I stood with the other Aaron and with mine, I don't."

 "You need to talk."

 "I can't make him. I can't make him see what is wrong because he never saw it before."

 "Before what?" Jackson asked before he shifted around a little, his legs spreading and bracing on either side of Spencer's. It tipped Spencer back to lay on Jackson. Jackson didn't say anything else, but he started to touch. This bath wasn't about getting clean at all, it was about relaxing and Jackson touching him had Spencer relaxing even more. 

 "Before I went over to the other world. I was shown exactly how lacking the pre-relationship had been. The other Aaron made sure that I saw that we hadn't been building a good, stable relationship. I came back, and the other Spencer had already fixed all of that. Called Aaron on what he was doing but he...he changed Aaron too much, and I love Aaron, and I don't want to be away from him. I need to figure out the best way to fix it all and do it, but I need time." 

 Jackson's hands didn't stop the entire time that Spencer was talking. What they were doing should have been sexual, but it wasn't. It was nice. To be touched and held and just listened to. Jackson didn't say anything to him, and Spencer didn't say anything back. He just laid there in Jackson's warmth and let himself float. 

 Spencer was half awake when Jackson ushered him out of the much-cooled water. He was prodded into a chair, and Spencer felt his neck being cleaned and wrapped in light gauze before he was ushered onto the bed. He was dressed, and he didn't even try and help. Jackson kissed his forehead as he was pushed under the covers. Jackson moved to the other side of the room and then was opening a drawer in the dressed before he came back over. 

 "I texted my assistant down the hall, and she went out and picked these up while we were in the bath." Jackson had in hands a pair of royal blue leather cuffs and a collar. "The collar is nothing more than a show that I care for you. I want you to feel safe. How do you want the cuffs?"

 "Tied to the headboard."

 Jackson moved away and came back with something dark that he laid on the bed while he affixed the cuffs to Spencer. The dark fabric was thread through the loops on the cuffs and then up to the headboard. When Jackson was done, Spencer could see it was a tie. Jackson sat down on the bed, and he had the collar in his hands. 

 "The one I last saw you in was just a buckle. This however locks. I asked her to get that kind." Jackson wrapped it around Spencer's neck and snapped the lock shut. He pulled the key from it and laid it on the nightstand. Spencer raised his hand touched it. He shivered at the feeling that came from the fact that it wasn't going to come off until he asked for it to come off. Jackson threaded his hands into Spencer's hair, massaging his head. It felt so good. 

 Spencer closed his eyes and settled down into a kind of doze. Jackson sat on the edge of the bed and Spencer kind of curled himself around him. 

 "I had my assistant call Hotch and tell him that you would be here for the night. That the issue that you lied to him about was going to take all night and that I wasn't going to allow any disruptions so he wouldn't be allowed in the building. He didn't like it as he was looking forward to a nice weekend but she told him that it was important or I would never keep you like this." Jackson didn't stop petting his hair at all and Spencer didn't feel the need to say anything else. He was almost asleep when Jackson pulled his hand away. Spencer looked at him blearily. "If this continues, I will step in, Spencer. Do you understand me?"

 "Yes, Jax."

 Jackson moved to a dresser Spencer could see him, and he realized that Jackson had been naked the whole time since the bathtub. He watched as Jackson changed into a pair of sleep pants before he crawled into bed with Spencer and held him. Jackson just held him, and Spencer felt safer than he had since he'd come home. He gave into sleep seconds later.

 

* * *

 

_ Mirror World _

Aaron leaned on the doorway to the nursery and peeked in on Spencer rocking little Hayden in his arms. The smile on his face was worth the battle they had to get the children legally adopted. Jackson and JJ were named as godparents. Jackson was already a Godfather to Jack. The man loved the boy and Aaron knew that Jackson would eventually fall for Aria and Hayden.

Aaron knew they had trust to build with Aria, but she was already latching onto them. The last four months hadn’t been easy, but they were, eventually, worth it. Especially when it put that smile on Spencer’s face. 

“He looks happy.” Jackson hooked his chin on Aaron’s shoulder, leaning against him from behind.

“I think he is. He had a hard time talking about Henry. I think if JJ hadn’t forced the issue he would have buried it pretty deep. I can’t say that I understand, but you know I’d do anything for him.”

“You do love, you just have a different way of showing it.”

“Functional Psychopath?” Aaron smirked as he turned in Jackson’s arms to kiss him.

“I didn’t say it. I also can’t help what I feel. You know we’re all a little fucked-up Aaron.”

“I know.”

“You don’t feel guilty for bringing in more kids?”

“I’d never hurt any child. I’m not that far gone. And no, I don’t feel guilty. Those kids will have a better life with us than they would have as wards of the state, and you know it.”

“And it looks good for your public image.” Jackson walked away making Aaron frown. He followed after the man and found him in his room sitting on his bed. “Jax?”

“I know you. I know you probably better than Spencer does sometimes. You don’t do anything without a reason, and this wasn’t just about giving Spence what he wanted. This was also to give you that extra bit of public worship. Oh, you say it doesn’t matter, but you carefully cultivate that image, don’t you?” Jackson abruptly stood and started to pace around the room.

“Jax, what the hell is going on?”

“You wanted me here. Wanted me as part of your private life. Oh, we go out, the three of us, but it’s like I’m not even fucking there, Aaron. Am I your dirty little secret? Will I be the third wheel? Why did you even ask me here?”

Aaron sighed as he moved to stop Jackson in his pacing. Lifting a hand he cupped the man’s cheek and leaned in for a kiss. He held the edge of the passion he felt for the man as he took and tasted. An arm pulled Jackson closer by the waist and Aaron pressed even harder against him.

“You are not a third wheel. For fuck’s sake Jax, you are the first person I truly fell in love with. I always want you, and yes I was a fool for being blinded by my own possessiveness with Spencer, but you are always on my mind. I’m sorry, I never want to hurt you.”

Jackson laid his head on Aaron’s shoulder and wrapped his arms around him. 

“We haven’t had time just the two of us since you moved in. Is that what is bothering you?”

“That’s part of it. I know we talked all of this out, but…”

Aaron pulled back to look Jackson in the eye.

“But you want time for just us.”

“Yes, okay. Yes I do. We used to do that before I moved in and now I feel like I’m being taken advantage of. That because I’m here you don’t have to pay attention.” Jackson pulled out of the embrace and walked over to the window and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“What do you want Jax?”

Jackson turned and Aaron was startled by the anger in his eyes. 

“What do I want?” He practically yelled, “I want to be acknowledged as something more than just behind closed doors. I want you to say ‘fuck it’ to your goddamned public image and truly make me a partner in this relationship. If all you wanted me here for is as a fuck buddy, that is not going to happen Aaron Michael Hotchner.” 

Aaron stood there flabbergasted. He and Jackson hardly ever fought. But then distance really does make the heart grow fonder and he wondered at his own stupidity. 

“Jax, you are not just a fuck buddy. I can’t believe you think that. You’re here because I want you as part of our lives.”

“Well, you have not shown it. I trust you Aaron, but lately that trust is on very shaky ground. I love you, sometimes it hurts at how much I love you and dammit maybe that’s my own fucking fault, but I can’t help it. Maybe to save us, to save what we have I need to leave.”

“NO!” Aaron practically yelled. That wasn’t what he wanted at all. He closed his eyes a moment to get the storm of emotions inside him to settle. He knew he had hurt Jackson, and that was never his intention. 

“Then what are you going to do to make me stay?”

Aaron stepped up to him again and took his hands in his. 

“Let me take you out. Just the two of us. Spencer is with the children, and I’m sure I can ask JJ or one of the others to help him while we are gone. Maybe…”

“Maybe what?” Jackson asked with a dangerous edge to his voice.

“Maybe we stay at a hotel. Take the night away from everything. Dinner, the Whiskey Bar, and at night at the poshest hotel that neither of us owns. Breakfast in bed, maybe lunch out then we come back and have another talk with Spencer.”

“You mean this?” 

“Yes I do. I don’t want to lose you or Spencer.”

“This is a start, but you have a long way to go Aaron for me to trust that you are willing to risk to be with me.”

Aaron smiled a slow feral smile. “Oh, the scandal will be well worth it.”

Jackson couldn’t help himself as he laughed so hard that he fell against the bed. Shaking his head he looked up at Aaron. 

“Just can’t help it, can you?”

“Nope. But, are you ready for the spotlight and what this could mean for all of us?”

“Nothing that is worth it is ever easy Aaron. And you and Spencer, have had it easy for far too long.” 

“Yes, I think you are right. Come on then, let’s go talk to Spencer then pack a bag. I am going to romance you, then let you have your way with me Mr. Grimes.”

“I can very much agree to that Mr. Hotchner.” Jackson stood and moved in to give Aaron a chaste kiss before throwing the man out of the room so he could get ready. 

Aaron went back to the nursery and found that Spencer hand put Hayden back in his crib. He turned around when he heard the footsteps behind him.

“Want to tell me what that was about?” Spencer asked as he looked down at the baby who was fast asleep for his nap.

“Not here, come on.” Aaron took Spencer’s hand and pulled him towards their room. Once inside he closed the door and sat down on the bed rubbing a hand over his face.

“I’ve been informed that I’m an idiot. Jackson is upset because we haven’t spent time alone. Or that I’ve ignored him when we’ve been in public.”

Spencer sat on the bed next to Aaron and took his hand.

“I noticed, but I didn’t feel it was my place to tell you. I knew Jackson would say something when he was ready.”

“We had our first fight. I didn’t like it.” 

“What are you going to do about it? Because I will be really angry at you Aaron if he leaves. I didn’t think that there would ever be anything to make me leave you, but if you make Jax go away…”

“Pet?” Aaron looked at Spencer and no small amount of fear settled in his heart. 

“I’ve always felt affection for Jackson, but since he’s moved in and we’ve become closer, well I think I love him too Aaron. So, you need to fix whatever you broke and it needs to stay fixed. I learned something over in the other world, that I am strong enough to leave you if you ever hurt me. Making Jax leave, for whatever reason would hurt me. Now, you need to decide what you are going to do about it. Aria needs her reading lesson, you let me know when you pull your head out of your ass and fix this.”

Aaron tried not to be slightly amused, but he was. He also knew that Spencer never said anything he didn’t mean, and he really meant this. His lover, Sub, his everything really would leave him if he hurt Jackson or Spencer for any reason. 

“I am going to fix this, Spencer. I came to tell you that Jax and I are going out and we won’t be back till tomorrow afternoon.”

“Good. Then we will talk as a family. I want this Aaron. I want it in every single way. I want to be as affectionate with Jackson in public as I am with you. I don’t want to hide this and if you need to adjust our public image, well, really I don’t give a fuck.” Spencer stood and kissed Aaron on the lips, then pulled back. “Now, you go and have a good time, I’m going to go read with Aria and maybe Jack. Don’t worry I can handle this.”

Aaron shook his head and wondered again what he ever did to deserve to have Spencer Reid in his life. Getting off the bed he started to prepare to take Jackson out to begin again and show him that he loves him in every way possible. 

* * *

Spencer spent the next hour giving Aria a reading lesson. The little girl curled up in his lap as they sat on her bed with a book open on Spencer’s lap. His heart swelled as he held her and let her do most of the work on sounding out the words. Spencer knew she was smart and he was determined to bring out her best, like he had with Jack. 

Though he still had thoughts of Henry on his mind some of the time, the memories were never going to go away, but they hurt less and less everyday. Some days he went to JJ’s room to look at the drawing and that little ache flared up, but he knew that his counterpart would do everything to help protect the boy. He knew how much Spencer loved Henry because of how he loved Henry. That would never go away, no matter how much he tried. But, he knew things change and though he would never be able to see the little boy again, he felt safe in the knowledge that there were people who cared for him.

Spencer was pulled from his thoughts when Jackson and Aaron came into the room to say their goodnight. Aaria had fallen asleep in Spencer’s arms. Standing, he put the little girl in bed, then closed up the book and left the room closing the door behind him. He left the little glow light that was imbedded in the baseboard on for now, but would slowly ween Aria off of it as the nights passed. 

“Just wanted to say goodbye before we left Petite Chou.” Jackson kissed Spencer, then swept the hair in his eyes to the side.

“If you need help…”

“I have a house full of people that could help me. So go. I’m fine by myself.”

Aaron kissed Spencer, then they were both off for their evening. 

Spencer planned a night with Jack. They were going to play some video games, maybe watch a movie and talk about all of the changes that were happening around them. They knew that Jack was excited to be a big brother, but with all of the chaos in getting Hayden and Aria adopted they had not taken the time to talk to Jack to see how he was feeling in all of this.

Moving through the house, Spencer went to the kitchen to get some snacks ready for the two of them when there was a knock at the front door. He waited a moment, then heard the door opening and soft voices coming through. Being curious he moved closer and say JJ and Tony greeting each other. He also saw that Tony had his son with him. Spencer moved a little closer.

“Jayje, I’m sorry. The babysitter cancelled at the last minute and I have no one to watch him. Either we need to cancel or change plans.”

Spencer saw this as an opportunity to get to know the boy that his counterpart had helped to rescue. Making some noise, Spencer walked towards them.

“I could watch him,” he said before he made it all the way to the door.

“I don’t want to impose, Spencer.”

“Tony, it isn’t an imposition. I just had a planned night with Jack. Video games, movies, maybe a card game. It’s not problem to include Ben.”

 “Alright, if you’re sure.”

 “I’m sure, Tony. Now, you two go out and have fun.”

 Tony put Ben down and let him run to Spencer who picked him up and settled him on his hip.

 “Hey kiddo, want to go have fun with Jack?”

 “Yeth, Uncle ‘Pencer.” Spencer’s heart clenched at the little boy’s words. It was what Henry hand called him. Pushing the boy’s hair behind his ears he settled without letting the other knew what he was feeling.

 “Alright. How about some Mario Kart.”

 “Yay. I kick yer butt.”

 “Hey little man, watch your language.”

 “Sorry Daddy.” The boy blew him a kiss which made the three adults laugh as Spencer walked away to go find Jack.

 “Well, seems we have a babysitter after all.”

 “Seems so. Hi.” JJ walked up and gave Tony a more heated kiss. 

 “Hi.” Tony smiled as he took her hand and led her to his car. The evening was definitely looking up.

 

* * *

 

“That was amazing Tony.”

“Thank you. I like to cook when I can. The BAU was a good move for me. And, they want to create a second team that handles a broader spectrum of cases. Ones more local that the A team doesn’t have to worry about. There is talk that they may ask me to take the Unit Chief position.”

“Are you ready for something that quickly?”

“Yeah, I am. I ran my own team for a while before my life went to hell.”

“I’m glad we could help. That Aaron got Ben back for you. I know what it’s like to lose a child and I wouldn’t want that for you Tony.” JJ set her wine aside then straddled Tony’s lap. “You know, we’ve been dating for a few months now and as much as I like you being a gentlemen, I’d really like it if you stopped.”

Tony slipped his hands under the fitted shirt JJ was wearing and slid his hands over the silky flesh of her back. Pulling her closer he pressed his lips to hers, taking it slow. He pulled away just a bit and looked into her face. All he saw was trust and something else, something deeper.

“I know how you were hurt JJ. I didn’t want to hurt you more.”

“You won’t, Tony. I do want you, I’m ready for this. I’m not ready to say those words, but you are the first man that I feel like I could say them to in such a long time.”

“God you’re beautiful, and Ben adores you. I think we have something here and I want to treat you right.”

“You do, Tony. But right now, I want you to take me to bed.” Tony wrapped an arm around her waist, and slipped the other around her ass then stood up. JJ hooked her arms and legs around him as he carried her into the bedroom, kissing her all the way there. Setting her on the bed, he sank to the floor on one knee and took off her shoes, then her socks. Sliding his hands up her jean covered legs Tony gently pushed her down on her back. Kneeing up on the bed, he bent down and kissed her, slowly and gently at first, till she wrapped a hand around his neck and deepened the kiss further. Opening up Tony tasted her lips and moaned as he slid his hands down and cupped her breast.

“You really are beautiful Jayje. I’m going to take my time, make you fall apart till you are trembling in my arms.”

“God yes, please.” She begged as she rolled her hips to try to feel more of him.

Tony kissed and nuzzled her neck while his deft fingers unbuttoned her blouse. Letting it fall to the side he moaned at the sight of the dainty lace that barely covered her breasts. Kissing down her neck, he made his way down her chest till he took a hard nipple into his mouth and sucked her through the lace. His other hand wasn’t idle. He cupped her other breast in his hand and gently kneaded till she was a begging, needy mess underneath him. 

“Tell me what you want Jayje. Do you want my mouth on you? My tongue inside you? Or do you want something else? My cock thrusting inside your wet pussy?” Tony mouthed at her stomach as he continued down her body making her tremble. She arched up trying to get more of Tony’s mouth on her. Hooking his fingers in the waistband of her jeans, Tony slid them off her hips, then stood and pulled them all the way off. Bending back down, Tony moaned at the small patch of cloth that barely covered her sex. It was lacy and matched the bra she was wearing. He slipped a finger past the small triangle and pushed one finger inside her dripping cunt. 

“Tony, please.”

Slowly he thrust his finger in and out of her as he mouthed at the thin lace fabric that was wet with her juices. 

“Mmm, please what?”

“Please, need you inside me.” JJ’s voice was shaky with need. Tony stood once more and quickly shed his jeans and polo shirt, throwing them off to the side. He pulled the condom he had in his back pocket out and threw it on the bed within reach. He wanted to taste more of her first. Grabbing the thin barely there waistband of the panties with his teeth, Tony pulled them down past her hips, then he pulled them all the way off of her before he went back to lay between her legs.

JJ opened wide for him and Tony moaned again at the sight. Dipping his head down he took the hard nub of her clit in his mouth and gently licked and sucked. A hand fisted in his short hair as JJ lifted her hips trying to get more friction. Releasing her, Tony thrust his tongue inside, tasing her, fucking her with his tongue. Using his hand he rubbed her clit with his thumb as he continued using his tongue.

“Fuck, Tony close.” Gently rubbing faster he felt her tense beneath him as she cried out and came all over his face. Quickly he got up on his knees and grabbed the condom. Ripping open the package he took it out and rolled it onto his hard, straining cock. He grabbed one leg and settled it on his shoulder, the other he held with hand at the back of her knee. With one hard thrust he pushed inside her pussy and started to thrust.

“Oh fuck, oh fuck,” JJ cried out as Tony drilled his cock inside her. He let her legs go which she then wrapped around his waist pulling him farther inside her. He hovered over her, fucking her hard and deep as he dipped his head down and kissed her. She moaned as she tasted herself on him, her hips keeping up the rhythm he had set. Before either of them were ready, Tony was cumming. He snapped his hips, continuing to fuck her through his own release. Just when he thought she wasn’t going to cum again, her body tightened underneath him and she pulsed hard against his now softening cock. 

Tony sank down on top of her then rolled them over so JJ was sprawled over him. 

“Wow.”

“Oh, yeah, wow is right.”

“We so should have done this sooner,” JJ teased as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Yeah, but you know I would never push you when you aren’t ready for something, Jayje.” Tony wrapped his arms around her and held her.

“I know. You are very patient Tony. I think I might fall in love with you,” JJ stated matter-of-factly as she reached up and kissed him. It was a sweet almost chaste kiss.

“Anyone that means anything is worth being patient for, and you mean everything JJ. I think I just might fall in love with you to.”

JJ blushed prettily as she buried her face against Tony’s chest, a little bit of shyness coming out.

“Why don’t we shower and rest her in each other’s arms for a while. Maybe talk a little about what it is we want. But, I’ll tell you right now Jayje, I want you. Ben wants you. I don’t you are getting away very easily.”

JJ smiled against the hard chest beneath her.

“I don’t want to get away, Tony. And I adore Ben. So I guess you are just stuck with me,” JJ laughed as she stood and started to dance away from him. Tony laughed as he surged off the bed and went after her.

A short while later after a good shower, the two of them were crawling in Tony’s bed, softly touching, kissing, and talking about what they wanted for the future. JJ fell asleep, content with a man for the fist time in a very long time.

* * *

Aaron lay in Jackson’s arms, legs tangled, sweaty, out of breath and thoroughly sated. Except for the few times he let Spencer fuck him, Jackson was the only man Aaron truly enjoyed bottoming for. He liked being taken out of his head, liked not having to make the decisions, and the man knew just how to exploit his own pain kink. How he had denied them both the opportunities for being alone, for enjoying each other like they have whenever they meet up on vacations, he would never know. 

“You know that I do love you, Jax.”

“I know Aaron. And I love you.”

“We really haven’t been alone like this in a long time, have we?”

“No. And I’m not saying we have to be like this all the time…”

“But there are times when it should be just the two of us. Of just you and Spencer. I know Jax.” Aaron lifted his head and leaned up to kiss Jackson. “He told me that if I made you leave, he would leave me. He loves you and wants to protect you even against me if he has to.”

“I don’t think I can say that I would ever see the day when Dr. Spencer Reid would ever threaten to leave you. Maybe a part of him did change in that other world.”

“Maybe.” Aaron didn’t want to think about it. He was enjoying the moment. “You never told us what happened with Adam.”

“You never asked.”

Aaron shook his head knowing Jackson was right.

“He wanted to go back home to Texas. I know a Dom there who I know would treat Adam like he wants to be treated. He wants to be a full Pet, but I don’t have it in me to be that kind of Dom. Spencer likes the name, and he likes being pampered, but you could never say that he is a true pet. Adam, on the other hand, I think is part cat.” Jackson laughed and shook his head as he thought about the young man who was now happier than he ever was before. 

“You are really okay with Hayden and Aria?”

“Aaron, if I wasn’t okay with it I would have left before now. Where is all this insecurity coming from?”

“We never fight.”

“We have not lived together full-time since college. There are bound to be some growing pains, Aaron.”

“Right. How about we soil my reputation just a bit tomorrow.”

“What do you mean?”

“Breakfast out, me draped all over you. We control the scandal and spin it to both of our advantages.”

Jackson laughed as he shook his head.

“Always thinking ahead. Alright, I’m game. Let’s really give them something to talk about.” The two men laughed as they settle more, talked out what it was this new dynamic really meant for them, then fell asleep knowing that whatever happens next, they have absolute control over. Aaron was thinking long-term and knew what he eventually wanted to do. A lot of groundwork needed to be laid first, but he had time and he would enjoy every single minute of it.


	12. Chapter Twelve

# Mirror World

“Why are we here, Tony?”

“Because this case has now escalated to the BAU. Do you recognize any of these people, Aaron?” The tone of Tony’s voice set off bells in Aaron’s head.

“Am I being interrogated for something?”

“All of these people are dead. Each one had a picture, or pictures of you, Spencer, Derek, Emily or JJ pinned or taped to them. I want to know where you were for each of them.”

“You think I did this? Why would I kill random innocent people who happen to look similar to those close to Spencer and me?”

Tony moved in close, his face right in Aaron’s.

“I know you are a killer. I just can’t actually prove that you have done anything wrong. One day you will slip up, and I will throw you in jail, I don’t give a fuck how far up the totem pole you are, one whiff and I will bring you down.”

Aaron lifted the corner of his mouth in a cruel, but almost proud smile. He had always wanted a worthy adversary. George wasn’t worth of his time, money or intelligence, but Tony, oh Tony could be so fun to play with. Unfortunately, he could say with all honesty that he had absolutely nothing to do with the men and women who had been killed and left with photos of him and his people.

Crossing his legs, Aaron flicked a piece of lint off of his knee, crossed his wrists and relaxed back in the chair.

“You know, a few months ago Spencer insisted we watch this movie, called Unbreakable. I quite liked the premise, one man the superhero, the other his nemesis. I could, on some level, sympathize with the bad guy. We all need our opposites, are you my adversary now, Tony?”

Tony narrowed his eyes at Aaron, and the two men stared at each other, neither one flinching.

“Your partner has good taste in movies.” Tony stood and slowly started to circle the room. “Do you foresee yourself at odds with me, Aaron? Am I going to suspect you of something one day? And are you going to put JJ in danger?” Tony growled as he hardened his expression.

“You’re asking questions that can’t truly be answered in the here and now. I don’t know what we are to each other, Tony. Don’t forget, I helped put you here.” Aaron stood and got in Tony’s personal space, leaning in he too growled low and dangerous. “I can take you out if I were so inclined, but I wouldn’t hurt JJ like that. Now, are you going to ask me about these crimes and not about some imagined future where we are at odds.”

Tony breathed deeply as he backed away from Aaron.

“Do you, or anyone on your staff know these people?”

“I personally have never seen any of them. As to my employees, I can make anyone available to you for questioning.”

“Where were you on these dates.” Tony pushed a piece of paper, a timeline of sorts, towards Aaron.

“Well, these three dates I was in Spain with Spencer and my lover.”

“Excuse me?”

“Tony, it’s no secret that Jackson Grimes and I have had an on again off again relationship since college. We own a hotel and several nightclubs together, and I hold a controlling interest in Grimes Tech, which Jackson holds my proxy. And you know full well that he is living at the mansion.”

“So, you were in Spain for these dates.”

“Yes.”

“And the rest?”

“Tony, I’ve had two major trials that went back to back. If I were so inclined on killing anyone, even if the only reason were that they looked like a member of my most trusted circle, I wouldn’t have the time. These people were most likely stalked. The precision and care with the kills speak of someone who has time on their hands, which I am sorry to say, that I do not. And, especially after the adoption, my time has become even more limited.”

“I have to ask.”

“And you have my answers. Now, are we done?”

Tony stood and left the room, the door open signaling that Aaron could leave. He walked towards the other interrogation room, slipping into the observation room letting Spencer Reid wait a little longer. Tony watched him for a few moments as Spencer sat on the table, reading, looking like he didn’t have a care in the world. He knew something was different, this was a different Spencer Reid, and Tony couldn’t figure it out.

“You think Aaron and Spencer had something to do with these murders?” Alex asked as she moved up next to her colleague.

“I don’t know what to think, Alex. I know deep down that they are both killers. I see it in their eyes, but I can’t prove anything. Though I believe Aaron. I don’t think he knows what’s going on, but he didn’t even flinch when he saw the photos.”

“I’ve known them a long time. Spencer has an amazing capacity to compartmentalize. Oh, he’s a sociopath, but he’s a fully functional sociopath. Aaron keeps him controlled, on a short leash. If anything happened to Aaron, I don’t think Jackson would be able to hold the reins on that boy. He’d lose it, and I’d fear what he could do.”

“But you care about them.” Tony scrutinized Alex for a moment before he went back to observing Spencer.

“They helped when no one else would. When Jamie got sick, and the doctors couldn’t find what was wrong, they helped. The head of research at Johns Hopkins that was in charge of orphan diseases had been diverting funds for his own research. When Aaron found out, I can’t prove anything, but the doctor disappeared. About a year later, the research led to not a cure, but treatment, then years later a cure. I trust them with my life.”

“Okay, but don’t think that I will be so trusting. I see what they do Alex. Bring people that they want into their circle, offer them everything they could ever want, and I don’t mean money. Hell, they got my son back, and for that, I will always be grateful, but at what price? What will I owe them when the time comes?”

Alex took a deep breath then watched as Tony went into the room with Spencer.

“Hello, Dr. Reid.”

Spencer looked up and let a genuine smile grace his lips.

“Tony. Are you now going to tell me why I’m here?”

Tony threw the file down on the table on Spencer’s right side. Spencer picked it up and started to look through it, his mind processing what he saw quite quickly.

“Why has this been kept from us?”

“We weren’t sure what it was we had. Someone is targeting you and those in your inner circle. This killer is taunting you more than anyone in law enforcement. Can you think of anyone in Aaron Hotchner’s employ that is maybe disgruntled or angry? Someone that may have gotten fired or ousted from his firm?”

“Well, unless it’s one of the sluts who tried to seduce my Aaron over the years, then no. I can’t think of anyone who would be this extreme.”

“Could one of those women be capable of this?’

“Did I say just women?” Spencer glared dangerously at Tony.

“No. No, you didn’t.”

“Men are not above the same base manipulations as some women. Believe me, there have been a few boys,” Spencer spat as he turned his mouth into a snarl, “Over the years that have tried to get into Aaron’s pants. Aaron was always too polite to throw them out.”

“And you weren’t.”

Spencer smiled, and his eyes glittered with the memories of giving ‘lessons’ to those that thought they could take what was his.

“No. I’m not. I protect what’s mine.”

“You’ve killed before, haven’t you?”

“What do you think, Tony?”

“I believe that you are the more dangerous of the two. I think if you were ever alone, I’d be chasing your ass. Aaron holds more than your leash, doesn’t he?”

Spencer couldn’t help the little bit of pride that warmed him on the inside. Tony wasn’t stupid, and he also wasn’t crazy. If George had not been so unhinged, he might have been an actual danger to himself and Aaron, but in the end, Foyet really wasn’t. Now, Tony, he was smart and very in control of who he is. Tony could eventually be a danger to him and Aaron, but Tony was JJ’s, and so far Tony was very good to JJ.

“You seem to think you know what our relationship is like.”

“I’m observant.”

“Yes, you are. As to these people, I have no idea who they are. Aaron and I have been knee deep in cases, and with the new adoption neither of us has been inclined to go on some kind of killing spree.”

“And where were you on these dates?”

Spencer picked up the timeline Tony had placed on the table.

“Well, these first three dates we were in Spain. I could give you all the salacious details, but I’m not sure you could handle it.” Spencer smirked as he slid off the table and grabbed his book bag. “Now, if you don’t have any more questions for me, I do have a lot of work to get back to.”

“Don’t leave the city.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Spencer slipped his bag over his head and sauntered out. He had some digging to do. Someone was clearly targeting his family, and he was going to put a stop to it.

* * *

“Dad, I have projects that I need to finish. And a presentation in Mrs. Kline’s class.”

“I know Jack, but we don’t know what is going on. I would rather you here safe, with Spencer facilitating your schoolwork than to put you in danger.”

Jack flopped down on his bed and gave a little pout.

“I like my school, Dad.”

“I know buddy, and when we know what this is all about and can get to the bottom of it, you can go back. I promise you, Jack.”

“Okay.”

“Besides, I think Aria and Hayden both would love for their big brother to be home with them.”

Jack almost didn’t contain the smile at that thought. Aaron had been more than impressed that Jack had taken his big brother status very seriously. He doted on the baby as much as Spencer did, and Aria could often be found curled on Jack’s lap with him reading to her.

“Okay, Dad. Just, can you take my project to Mrs. Kline? I don’t want to lose my marks from her class.”

Aaron smiled and ruffled Jack’s hair.

“Of course, you finish it, and your Papa and I will take it. Now, I think you have some range time with Emily.”

Jack slid off his bed and changed out of his school clothes and into some comfortable clothes. Leaving his son’s room, Aaron closed the door then went to Derek’s office to talk to him.

“I want you to shadow Anthony and learn all you can about this case. I want to know what the hell is going on. But, keep it on the down low. I don’t want Tony catching you.”

“Sure. What should I be looking for?”

“I have no idea.”

Spencer was locked in his secondary office. The one attached to his secret room and got working on his own resources and contacts. He knew it had to be someone from Aaron’s or his past, but that was a lot of people to sort through. Spending some time he wrote an algorithm to sort through all the names in his own personal database. He had started with thousands of names to go through after he implemented and launched his program, that list was cut down to a few hundred. It sorted out trusted staff, those in the law firm, those currently still serving time and a few other categories. Spencer let his searches run, then left his room to go find Aaron, he wanted family time, he knew something was going to break, Spencer just didn’t know what, or what he was going to do about it when it did.

Spencer walked through the house looking for either of his lover’s to see what they were up to. First, he found Aaron in his study pacing with an earbud in his ear, yelling at someone on the other line.

“I don’t give a fuck what you think you found on Discovery. It isn’t evidence that can be used in this case. There is no provenance on where it came from, and I’m not going to jeopardize this trial, and have a possibility of it being thrown out. Now, find me something that I can actually use.” Aaron disconnected the call, and Spencer had a distinct impression that he wished it had been a handset so he could slam it down.

“Something wrong with the Barlow case?” Spencer asked as he moved in further into the office.

“Fucking idiot investigator found a random receipt that doesn’t match up to anything other than the time Barlow said he was at the bar. It was cash, but it wasn’t found anywhere near Barlow, his car or house. It ‘mysteriously’ showed up in his office trash.”

“So, it makes you suspicious that Evans somehow found this cash receipt.”

“Yes, Spencer. If fucking makes me very suspicious.”

“Hey, don’t bite my head off. I’m going to go find Jackson. You need to calm down before you go anywhere near the kids. When you aren’t acting like an asshole, maybe we can do something as a family.” Spencer turned and stomped off leaving Aaron gaping after him. Spencer wasn’t sure what was making Aaron so upset, but he wasn’t going to accept that attitude, no matter what. He also was not going to let Aaron punish him for what he said. Sometimes, his lover needed a reality check, and this was one of those times.

Spencer took a deep breath and went to go find Jackson. When he did, he felt his heart melt a little. Jackson had Hayden in his arms, rocking the boy, with Aria curled up next to him with her head in his lap. He had an e-reader, which Spencer himself hated, setup on a stand, so Jackson didn’t have to hold it while holding the baby. Sitting on the floor was Jack with his head against his Godfather. Jackson was reading the first Anne of Green Gables, which surprised the hell out of Spencer, but since the books had such strong female characters, Spencer knew it was a good choice for all the children to read.

Jackson stopped after a moment and looked up to see Spencer standing there, a smile and blush crept up on his face.

“You know, this parenting thing isn’t all that bad.”

Spencer just shook his head and moved into the room, taking the baby from Jackson. He sat in the rocking chair while Aria crawled into Jackson’s lap.

“What happened after she drank the cordial, Daddy Jax?” Spencer and Jackson stopped and gaped at Aria. It took Jackson a moment as he swallowed hard. Clearing his throat, Jackson was not going to let the emotion get the better of him, but Spencer didn’t miss that little tear in his eye.

“Yes, Daddy Jax, what happens next?” Spencer lightly teased with a smile on his face as he rocked Hayden back to sleep.

Jackson just looked back down at the e-reader and picked-up where he had left off.

This went on for a while, till Aria fell asleep in Jackson’s lap. Spencer stood and put Hayden in his crib, then took Aria to her bed and laid her down for her nap. Jack and Jackson followed Spencer out of the room.

“I…” Jackson ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in ridiculous spikes.

“I didn’t tell her to call you that. She did it on her own.” Spencer leaned forward and kissed Jackson, “She loves you already, and that’s a good thing.”

“Yeah, I just didn’t expect it. Wow, I have no idea what to do with this.” Jackson bit his lip, ruffled Jack’s hair then walked towards his rooms. Spencer knew the man needed a few moments to process. He would normally tell Aaron what was going on, but the way the man was acting, he thought better of it.

“Looks like just the two of us, Squirt. Want to watch a movie?”

“Is Uncle Jax okay, Papa?”

“Yeah, he is Buddy, he was just surprised. He is used to you, and you calling him Uncle, but this is a little different. It’s like when you call me Papa. It may take him some time.”

Jack looked pensive as they made their way to the theater and picked out a movie.

“Would it be okay if I called him Daddy Jax?”

Spencer sat down and pulled Jack onto his lap.

“I don’t know. You might want to ask Jax first, but give it a couple of days, okay Buddy?”

“Okay.” Turning around, Jack paid attention the screen, and Spencer relished in the father-son time. They had been so busy in the last few weeks that it felt like family time had gotten lost. Spencer’s thoughts turned inward to the other Jack and how attentive Aaron was to him. Family time was never taken for granted, and a part of Spencer missed that aspect. He knew he needed to talk to Aaron and Jackson, that they needed to remember they were family and should be doing things as a family.

* * *

The news of another murder, this time one that looked like Anderson, was found in a park that wasn’t far away from the office. Aaron was pacing, frustrated at the pace of the investigation and why it was taking so long. He knew that eventually, this killer was going to come after one or all of them. He wouldn’t be satisfied with the avatars.

Aaron was pacing and yelling into the phone. Spencer walked into the office to see him tearing into one of the new interns.

“Aaron!” Spencer yelled at him.

“Spencer,” Aaron growled and narrowed his eyes.

“Alisa, go back to your desk. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Take the files with you, and we’ll go over them together.”

“Thank you, Mr. Reid.” Alisa ducked her head as she took the files from Spencer and ran out of the office. Only when the door shut did Spencer turn to Aaron. “You do realize she’s only been here for a couple of weeks and I haven’t fully trained her on everything?”

“Still doesn’t excuse…” Spencer held up a hand cutting Aaron off. The man’s eyes flared with his temper, but all Spencer did was raise a brow.

“I don’t know what has gotten into you the last couple of weeks, but you are scaring everyone. The other partners are grumbling, and you even had Jack not wanting to come out of his room. Whatever this is you need to get a hold of yourself. And, you are not touching me till you get rid of this temper.”

Aaron made to move on Spencer, who just tilted his head and eyed Aaron dangerously.

“No. I’m serious Aaron. I give you my submission freely, that does not mean that you can use it against me. I’m submissive to you because I want to be, not because you make me.”

Aaron took a deep breath and started to pace.

“Fine.” Aaron stepped back towards his desk. Spencer left him and went to go work on the files with Alisa, giving some distance between him and Aaron. As soon as they got home, Spencer left Aaron to go in search of Jackson.

“You need to do something about Aaron. He is acting worse than normal, and I came close to wanting to haul off and punch him.”

Jackson stood from his desk and pulled Spencer in his arms.

“Are you prepared for what I might have to do? I’ve seen it too, and usually, he isn’t this out of control. Hasn’t been since you and he got together.”

Spencer tilted his head and furrowed his brow.

“I don’t understand.”

“He never told you?”

“He said that he got you out of a bad relationship. He figured out your dynamic and helped you through it.”

“Well, seems our Aaron has left out a few things. Come with me, Spencer, and you will understand just how Aaron helped me in college.”

Spencer was unsure of what Jackson meant. He assumed that he just found a trainer for Aaron, but now Spencer was more than curious. He thought he knew everything there was to know about Aaron, but obviously, that wasn’t true. Instead of being angry, Spencer was intrigued.

“You, on the bed and don’t say a word. Do not undress, do not touch yourself. Keep quiet and don’t ask questions.” Jackson walked Spencer towards the bed and made him sit down. “If you make one peep, I will tie you to the bed and punish you by edging you till you are begging for release, but you won’t get it. Understand?”

Spencer was breathing hard as he leaned up against the headboard.

“Good boy, now stay.” Jackson walked over to the cabinet and opened it with the key that Aaron had given him when he moved in. At the bottom was a drawer that Spencer had never seen opened. He couldn’t tell what Jackson was doing, but stayed still and would find out when he came back to the room.

Jackson left the room and went in search of Aaron. He found the man in the pool doing laps. Jackson waited a few minutes, then got Aaron’s attention.

“Out of the pool.” Jackson stood and stepped back, waiting.

“Jax?” Aaron frowned and wondered what was going on.

“You have been an ass. Out of the pool, Now!”

Aaron narrowed his eyes as he got out of the pool and grabbed his towel. He started to dry off, but Jackson took the towel out of his hand, folded it and put it on the ground. He gave Aaron a moment.

“Kneel.”

“Excuse me?” Aaron looked shocked.

Jackson moved to stand in front of Aaron, his eyes snapping with his dominance as he glared at Aaron.

“I said kneel. Or do you forget who your Dom was?”

The look on Aaron’s face and the shallow breathing had Jackson just raising a brow and waiting. After the short battle of wills, Aaron lowered himself, so he was kneeling on the towel.

“You saved my life when you helped me realize my Dynamic. You were also my sub, or do you forget that because you went through Dom training and found Spencer shortly after?” Jackson walked behind Aaron and laid a hand on the middle of his back, fingers trailing some of the faint scars that he had put there himself. He alone knew the depth of Aaron’s masochism, which was only rivaled by Spencer’s.

“Something is going on with you Petite, and you aren’t talking about it. Now, I’m taking matters into my own hands. Do you understand?” Jackson crouched down in front of Aaron and gripped his chin and forced him to look at him. “Do you submit?”

Aaron shuddered at the question. I had been a long time since he had been in this position. He knew he was on edge, and he knew his usual forms of release were not working. Spencer wasn’t going to allow him near until he got control of his anger and fear. Aaron made himself meet Jackson’s eyes and let out the breath he had been holding onto so hard.

“Yes, Sir.” Aaron swallowed hard as he grasped his hands behind his back. When he felt the weight of the old collar slip around his neck, he wasn’t sure how to feel, but this was Jackson, the only person who had ever been strong enough to Dom him. This was not about going backward, this was about coping with what was happening around him. He let his shoulders relax, and the pit that had settled in his gut slowly started to loosen.

“Up. Go to your room and do not make eye contact with Spencer. He is there to observe only. If you want him to join us in the playroom I will allow it, but you will not be able to touch him unless I say so, and he won’t get to touch you. I want you to take a shower, then wait for me.”

Aaron stood and didn’t think twice about obeying Jackson. When he entered the bedroom, he saw Spencer out of the corner of his eye, but Aaron didn’t acknowledge him, he went to take his shower. By the time he was finished, Jackson was there with a towel. He didn’t let Aaron do anything, as he was quickly wiped down. The light weight of one of his robes fell across his shoulders, and he knew what Jackson wanted. He slipped it on, then followed Jackson back to the room.

Silently Jackson opened the cabinet and bent down once again the locked drawer. He pulled out a set of deep green cuffs that he attached around Aaron’s wrists and ankles. Then standing behind he pushed Aaron forward just a little.

“Choose,” Jackson whispered in Aaron’s ear.

Aaron let his fingers linger over several items, but finally picked out the cat-o-nine-tails that had leather ends that were sharp. They didn’t cut, but the sting was more brutal than other similar instruments. A long thin riding crop was next, and last was the double tailed whip.

“Do you want Spencer down there with us?”

Aaron wanted to look on the bed, to see what their Sub was thinking, but he wouldn’t break Jackson’s rule. He took a moment to think about it, then nodded.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Okay. Stay, don’t move.”

Jackson walked to where Spencer was sitting up cross-legged on the bed.

“You are smart enough to have figured this out.”

“You were Aaron’s, Dom.”

“Yes.”

“And you and he want me to observe.”

“Yes. Are you okay with that, Spencer?”

“Yes.”

“You cannot say a word. You can sit on the bed, but don’t touch yourself. If you come, that’s fine, but it won’t be by anyone’s hand. Do you understand why?”

“It’s for Aaron. So he knows I will love him no matter what.”

“Yes. Get up, go change into a robe and come down when you feel ready.” Jackson turned away, then clipped a leash to Aaron’s collar and led him away.

By the time that Spencer arrived in the playroom, Jackson had Aaron attached to the A-frame in the middle of the room. Spencer shed his robe and as quietly as possible crawled up onto the bed. He let his eyes linger on the cuffs, deep green and well worn. Spencer knew they had some things to talk about. But now was about observing, and Spencer knew what Jackson was doing, forcing Aaron to face his own submission, his own helplessness in the situation they were in with this killer that seemed to be targeting them.

“Tell me, who do you belong to, right here and right now.” Jackson had the whip in his hand. He would start with that.

Aaron closed his eyes and relaxed in the restraints. He looked at Jackson as he came around the frame.

“You, Sir.”

“That’s right. I’m not going to cage you. If you need to come, tell me before you do.” Jackson didn’t give Aaron time to respond as he felt the first crack of the whip across his back. Aaron let himself feel it, feel everything. It had been so long since he felt the pain. He didn’t trust anyone else to give it to him like Jackson knew how. His eyes rolled back in his head as he sank inside himself. The sharp stings of the double tail made him shudder with pleasure. He felt his cock harden. When he looked towards the bed, and to Spencer, and he saw all that creamy flesh, his long thin cock laying half-hard against his thigh, Aaron moaned.

Jackson stopped and moved around to face Aaron. He checked his eyes, his pulse, and his breathing.

“Not there yet.” Jackson traded out the whip for the riding crop. The first strike across Aaron’s thighs had Spencer moaning. He wanted to touch himself so badly, his cock ached, but he knew if he did, Jackson would punish him. His breathing shallowed as he watched the show before him. The welts that raised on Aaron’s thighs, stomach and buttocks had him thrusting into the air almost involuntarily. He fisted his hands in the bedsheets and clamped down on those muscles that controlled his orgasm. He bit his lip as he held on, Spencer wanted to see how long he could hold out.

Aaron was shaking with need, he cried out as the crop struck him again and again. He was so close that almost anything was going to send him over the edge.

“Sir,” Aaron was breathless as he slumped in the restraints, his body singing from the pain, his very nerves felt on fire, but he wanted, no he needed more. “Please.” He begged, just like Spencer often begged him.

Jackson stopped and stood next to Aaron, lifting his head up.

“What do you need?”

“I need to come,” the need to ask, that minor humiliation made the ball in his stomach loosen even more.

Jackson ran his hands down the welts on Aaron’s body, pressing and making the man’s eyes roll back in his head and moan. His cock jumped and thickened even more. Jackson kissed Aaron, thrusting his tongue inside, making his sub even harder. The whine, and the thrusting hips, Jackson knew he was pushing Aaron towards his limit. Pulling back, he turned his head to look at Spencer.

“Come here.” Spencer scrambled off the bed and quickly made his way over. “On your knees and take Aaron’s cock in your mouth.” Spencer gladly did as requested. “Hands clasped behind your back.” Spencer quickly complied.

Jackson grabbed the cat-o-nine tails, and after running his hand down Aaron’s back, he mapped out where he was going to strike.

“Count for me, and when you get to five you can come, but don’t ejaculate.” Spencer bobbed his head, and when the first strike came, Aaron counted, the sound of leather on flesh just made Spencer even harder.

“Two,” Aaron called out as he thrust his hips and pushed into Spencer’s mouth. “Three,” the third strike was particularly hard, and it made Aaron scream. “Four,” he was so close, so damn close. “Five,” and on five he came hard, but didn’t release, Spencer’s mouth was still wrapped around his cock. He slumped and shook in the restraints. Then, Spencer was moving off his cock, which was still rock hard. Aaron was then being released from the restraints and led to the bed.

“Come here, Spencer.”

“Yes, Dominae.” Spencer scrambled to the bed and waited.

“On your hands and knees between Aaron’s legs, but no touching.”

Aaron watched through half closed eyes, he was floating, and all it would take was one simple touch, and he would be pushed completely over the edge. Jackson told him he couldn’t touch himself, and he really wanted to, especially as he watched Jackson prepare Spencer, then fill him with his cock. The sight made Aaron groan as he grabbed the bedsheets trying his best to obey Jackson. It was hard as the sight of Jackson fucking Spencer almost on top of him had him so close to the edge.

“Fuck, so tight.” Jackson kept his eyes on Aaron as he gripped Spencer’s hips and thrust into him over and over. “I know why you kept this away from me for so long. His sweet, tight hole is addicting. His cock is beautiful, slim and long, the way it feels down your throat, all silky flesh. You want this don’t you Petite?”

Aaron moaned as need and frustration filled his eyes. Spencer bent over, his head was just right there. He cried out in his frustration.

“Please, Jax.”

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous when you beg,” Jackson grunted, and he fucked in and out of Spencer harder and faster making the Sub plead and beg for release.

“Go ahead Petite Chou, you can come.” Spencer cried out as he spilled his release onto the bed, Aaron whined as he thrust up into the air.

“Go ahead, Aaron. You’ve been good. I want to see you come all over Spencer’s face.” Aaron grabbed his cock and knew he wasn’t going to last long. He didn’t even reach for the lube, it only took a few strokes, and he was coming, his vision graying at the edges as he painted Spencer’s face with his release. He heard a grunt and opened his eyes to see Jackson’s face scrunched in ecstasy as he came inside their lover.

“Look at the mess you made Petite. Now clean it up.” Aaron grabbed Spencer’s face and licked him clean, then kissed him letting Spencer taste himself. He collapsed back on the bed and almost immediately fell asleep.

When he woke a few minutes later, he felt warm water all around him.

“Tell me how you are Aaron?”

Aaron nodded as he pulled Jackson close.

“I’m alright. Thank you.” The collar was gone, but Spencer was there with him, his two loves were now always there, he knew he wasn’t alone in this. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, you just need to tell us what you need Aaron.”

“I know, I know. Now, how do we find and ruin this mother-fucker that is after our family.” And just like that, he was back, and Spencer couldn’t be happier.

# Our World

Spencer flopped down onto the bed in his hotel room. Another case in the bag and Spencer was feeling burnt out. He closed his eyes and sighed. He had got little sleep over the case as the UnSub never slept, but then it had turned into two UnSubs who took shifts killing. The team had split into two groups, each handling a shift so that someone was always up, but Spencer kept getting woken for information during his time when he was supposed to be asleep. He was going on about five hours sleep in three nights. Spencer had told Morgan that when Rossi had called for the third time the night before but Morgan told him to buck up. Instead of being able to sleep though he was wide awake now. He had hit the point where his body was running off of adrenaline, and until he crashed, he was going to be awake.

Looking at the clock on the wall, Spencer saw that Aaron would be at the office already. If he called though, Aaron would know that he hadn't been sleeping and it would cause him to worry. Pushing himself off the bed, Spencer moved towards his messenger bag. He grabbed the tablet and logged into the Grimes network and started to read over the applications for the Texas hub. He marked each with either an X, a checkmark, or a question mark. The Xs were not looked at anymore, and the checkmarks were hired. If after the first look there weren't enough check marks to fill all of the slots needed, the question marks were considered again. Sometimes the question marks were slotted into other jobs that had not been announced yet.

The tablet beeped at him, and Spencer looked at the image that appeared in the upper corner. He smiled at Jackson.

"I thought you were on a case?"

"I am. It has just wrapped up. UnSubs in custody."

"Where are you?"

"New Orleans."

"All-nighter?" Jackson asked the frown on his face was deep.

"You could say that. I've been awake or three days now. I can't sleep so I thought I would work."

"Those bags under your eyes tell me that you've been awake for days. Are the rest of your team just as bad?"

Spencer debated lying for a few seconds. Jackson hadn't figured out his tells yet, but Spencer didn't like lying if he didn't have to.

"No. The rest of the team got at least seven hours each night. I, on the other hand, kept getting woke up. It's fine. I'll spend the weekend relaxing."

"Do you have to go back to Quantico?" Jackson asked.

"Why?" Spencer was unsure why Jackson would ask that. After the night where he broke down, he and Jackson had barely talked. Spencer had come out of that weekend better off than he had been since he had com home.

"Well, you've not been to visit your mother yet. I thought that I could send the jet to you and have it take you to Vegas. I'm in Baton Rouge at the moment, and the jet is just sitting there. It'll save you a trip at your expense, and you can see about that building that I want to put the Nevada hub in. That way I can write off a business expense. We both win."

"I'll have to talk to Morgan."

"Spencer, you need a break. And you need to speak to Hotch."

"I will. I just haven't figured out the best way."

"You are unsure of your love for him." Jackson was blunt with his words. Spencer felt like they were a slap in his face but he knew that they were truthful. Spencer had gone to the other world sure of his love, but Spencer had come back unsure. Spencer didn't know if it had survived the changes that had been made to himself. The rush of coming home and being happy about coming back had ended, and now he had stark reality.

"Jackson, please," Spencer begged. Jackson held up his hands. "I'll text you on Morgan's decision. It is just Friday, and technically I should be doing up the case report when we get back."

"Like you need to do them there. You can take when you need with you and do it in the morning after you sleep. Hell, I'll give you money to go play some cards."

"You are an enabler."

"I am. I just want to see you happy."

"Thanks."

A knock sounded on Spencer's bedroom door. It was Morgan.

"I know, gotta go. Let me know." Jackson's picture disappeared from the screen, and Spencer put the tablet to sleep. The knock sounded again, more urgent and Spencer frowned. Morgan had been the one to tell the team to get some sleep before they headed out. Here he was an hour after they'd all gone to their rooms. Spencer checked his clothes before opening the door.

"The locals need your help. There is a car downstairs."

"Now what?" Spencer asked, his tone slightly pissed off.

"Reid, I'm ordering you to go. The Sheriff will brief you."

"An opportunity to see mom has opened up. Are you okay with me flying to see her instead of going home when the team does?" Spencer asked.

"Reid we will discuss that after. Go."

Spencer moved back to the room to grab his keycard and his bag before going and shutting the door. Morgan was going back to his room. Spencer frowned at him. He felt like Morgan was punishing him for something. Until he figured out what was going on though he was going to play along. It would bite Morgan in the ass at some point.

When five o'clock in the evening hit, and Spencer was still at the station trying to work on the way to crack the UnSub, and none of the team had been seen, Spencer called Aaron. He'd given the locals everything that they would need to get the UnSub to break, but they were not allowing him in to see the UnSub.

"Hotchner," Aaron answered, sounding stressed.

"Hotch, it's Reid."

"This is a New Orleans number. Morgan said you were going to see your mother."

"You've talked with Morgan?" Spencer asked.

"The team has been back in the office for a few hours."

Spencer picked up his cell phone and found it dead. He tried to turn it on, but it wasn't turning on. Spencer dug into his messenger bag and found his charging cord. Plugging it into the power strip on the desk he was using he plugged it into his phone. No picture of a battery popped up. He tried to turn it on again only find that it was still dead.

"Reid?"

"My phone is broke. It's not even trying to charge, and I charged it this morning after we came back to the hotel."

"You didn't know that the team was leaving?"

"Morgan said that the locals needed me and sent me here. I asked him about going from here to see mom, but he said we'd talk about it later." Spencer dug into his bag again and grabbed his tablet. He woke it up to find a few messages from Jackson on the Grimes system. Jackson was worried about him. "I'd say that my phone died on me early as Jackson has sent a few messages through the relay."

"Morgan left you in New Orleans without telling you and without even talking to you?" Aaron sounded astonished. He sounded upset and just a little pissed off. "I'll arrange transport for you."

"Jackson said he was going to send the jet to take me to Vegas. There is a building he wants me to look at." Spencer wasn't going to refute that he had been left there without a word. Spencer was pissed, but he was in public, and he wasn't going to do anything that would give the BAU a bad name.

"Jackson came himself when he hadn't heard from you," Jackson said from behind Spencer. Spencer turned to look at him. Jackson looked worried.

"I'll deal with Morgan and the team. Enjoy your weekend. Whatever you are doing for the locals is done now. You never should have been left there, alone. Pack up and go with Jackson."

"Hotch," Spencer tried to plead, but the man hung up on him. Aaron was not in a good mood at all. Spencer was almost disappointed that he wasn't going to be there for the verbal lashing that was about to rain down on Morgan. A little arousal settled in Spencer's groin as he thought about it.

"They actually left you here?" Jackson asked as he came around the desk. He picked up the phone and played with it for a few seconds before popping the case and as soon as he did, Spencer could smell the burnt plastic and hot metal. "So, I have a few models of phones on the jet. We can pick one, and I can get your number and everything ported in a short time. You had everything backed up yes?"

"Yes. I liked my phone." Spencer had liked it a lot. He knew that whatever one that Jackson gave him was going to have bells and whistles that he didn't need. It was also going to make Garcia so damned happy, and Spencer hated that. He still hadn't settled down his slight aversion to her now that he was home. He missed Penny so much.

"Quit being a baby. Pack up and let head out. What about your room?"

"I have no clue." Spencer was upset that someone else was in the room or someone else had packed up his things.

Spencer watched Jackson text on his phone as he packed up. Spencer found the chief and gave him what he had. The ADA wanted a slam dunk on the second UnSub, but Spencer wasn't going to be the one to get it. He should have had the team there to help him. Whatever game that Morgan wanted to play was going to backfire on him. Aaron was now pissed, and it wasn't anything that Spencer had done. Spencer had learned to be patient, to play to an endgame that destroyed his opponents from the other Aaron.

"My driver, Steve, is going to your hotel, do not even ask me why I know where it is. I just know. Call them and have them let Steve pick up your things."

"Fine." Spencer picked up the phone and dialed the main line for the hotel. He spent several minutes on the phone with them, telling them what had happened before he was told that one of his team had packed up his room and checked him out. That the desk was holding his things. By the time that Spencer was done with the call, he was glad to be getting out of there. Since Morgan had told Aaron that he was going to see his mom, Spencer just allowed Jackson to push him into the town car that he had rented for the day and be dropped off at the airport with his things. Jackson was going take a business flight back to Baton Rouge while Spencer flew to Vegas. Spencer had tried to talk Jackson into taking his own damned jet, but the man had said that he had a shorter hop than Spencer.

When Spencer exited the airport hours later, there was a town car there and a driver with a sign. Doctor Spencer Reid was wrote on the sign. Spencer shouldered his laptop bag and changed his go bag to his other hand. He moved towards the car.

"You are exactly like Mr. Jackson described," the man said as Spencer got close. The man's accent had a hint of Italian in it.

"I am betting that Jackson booked me a suite in the best hotel?" Spencer asked.

"No, no. No rented suite for Doctor Reid. He owns the villa that you are going to be staying in."

"Nobu?" Spencer asked. He knew that Jackson owned the villa that was on the roof of the Nobu hotel.

"Correct. You are smart. Good catch for Mr. Jackson."

"Jackson doesn't want to get caught. And I have my own catch at home." The man stepped up to him and took his things.

"Name is Piero, Doctor Reid. I'll be at your beck and call for the entire weekend. I was told by Mr. Jackson to make sure you got a good meal in you tonight. So I have set you up with a reservation at the Nobu restaurant. Private dining area."

"Jackson told you to take care of me huh?"

"Anything you want. As if you were him, outside the night fun."

After an evening of good food and quiet contemplation, Spencer found himself alone in the Nobu Villa, overlooking Vegas. He looked at the city he knew so well but hadn't considered home in a long time. He only came back when he had to and to visit his mother. There was no love for the city outside of that. The DC area was his home. He'd known that for a while but hadn't accepted it. Spencer looked towards the area where the residential homes were. He found the rough location of where his house was. The home that he had kept even after putting his mother in Bennington. The head of the Vegas office of the Database Project was coming from California in the next month. Spencer texted Jackson that he'd sell his house to Grimes Tech for the home for the head of the project for the state if he wanted it. Jackson texted back that he'd get a realtor on it and make it happen.

Sleep came easy for Spencer. He had a collar with him and cuffs and hooking himself up to sleep was easy. When he shared a room with a team member, Spencer didn't link the cuffs to the bed, but he wore them. He also had a strong habit of putting them up when he woke up so that housekeeping never saw them.

* * *

Visiting hours didn't start at Bennington until nine. Spencer woke at five, he could feel that he hadn't got enough sleep to make up for it all, but he couldn't go back to sleep. He left the cuffs on the bed, hooked up to the chain. Whoever Jackson allowed to clean the room would be in or not during the day, Spencer knew that Jackson had to have a trusted person who cleaned the room with the materials he used for work.

Spencer knew that he needed to deal with what was left of his father's estate and make sure that it was all taken care of. He had a light breakfast in his room after getting ready and then headed towards the Summerlin police station. There were not a lot of officers in general inside of the station, but given that it was six by the time that Spencer got there, he wasn't shocked.

"Can I help you?" the officer at the desk asked.

"Yes, Hello." Spencer waved at the officer. He had his credentials on him but not his gun. That was in the safe inside of Nobu. "My name is Spencer Reid. I wanted to look at the files on my father, William Reid's death."

"Okay, Sir. I remember that case. It was ruled a natural death. I didn't even have a next of kin for him."

"My father left my mother and me when I was ten."

"We found out about an ex-wife that's in the crazy home."

"Bennington. My mother."

"Doctor Reid?" someone else asked. Spencer turned to look at them. He didn't know the woman at all. "Doctor Spencer Reid of the BAU?"

"Yes."

"William Reid was your father?" the woman asked.

"Yes. And you are?"

"Detective Cardoza. I was the lead on the case until it was ruled natural death. Come into my office, and I'll give you all that I have."

"Odd, coming in after so long," the officer said.

"Officer Stately, the BAU crisscrosses this country as much as you cross the street. I'm not shocked."

Spencer said nothing as he followed the woman back to the back of the station to where there were several offices. Her office was a scene of organized chaos. There was only a few case files actually open, but there were a lot that was in piles all over.

"Who was the point you did keep notified?"

"One of his co-workers. A Stan Early. Stan took in your father's cat."

Spencer kept his laugh to himself. His father had lavished more attention on that damned cat than he had his own son.

"I tried to track down more information, but before I could, his death was ruled natural. I had to stop and go to other cases. The law firm he works for had no next of kin on file, but one of the other lawyers remembered a talk about his ex-wife finally being committed."

"I was never brought up, I know. Your father's computer had records of the searches he had done into my life after I graduated college."

"Why did he leave?"

"It doesn't matter, and it hasn't in a long time. Do you have the file here?"

"I kept meaning to go back to the file and try and figure out more. There was something that didn't sit with me. I understand now. I have the file right here." Cardoza opened a drawer and handed over a file. Spencer read through it all quickly. When he looked back up at the detective, he saw the look of shock.

"I know. I read very fast. How did you know my name?"

"The Chief passed on the Database Project with Grimes Tech to me to oversee our inclusion of the files into it when it starts. I was going over the contacts for it all, and your name was on there. I thought it funny that it matched one of my cases."

"Do you have a contact number for Early?"

"We always just called him at the law office."

"Then that is where I am headed next."

"Okay. Do you have a contact number I can take down?"

Spencer handed over a BAU card that only has his work office number. "That'll go to my assistant. She'll contact me if you need me."

"Thank you, Doctor Reid."

The drive to the law office took no time at all. It didn't look any different than it had the last time that he was there. The secretary at the area where his father worked was different.

"Hello," Spencer said as he showed her his credentials. "I'm looking for Stan Early."

"He's in his office, three doors down," the secretary pointed down the hall. Spencer moved that way. He watched the man who was sitting at the desk inside the of the office with a stack of files at his elbow that was a foot high. The man wasn't aware of Spencer's being there until he knocked. Early looked up at him.

"May I help you?"

Spencer flashed his badge and took a seat. Before Spencer could give his name, Early's eyes became wide.

"You look so much like your mother, Doctor Reid. I've been expecting your visit. I didn't contact you as I figured when the time came you would come to me."

"Excuse me?"

"I called the FBI and tried to contact you about your father's death. I never heard from you, but I didn't really expect to. Your boss said that you were a very busy man and had little time to come and oversee your father's things being taken care of."

"My boss...who did you speak to?"

"Um." Early started to dig around in the desk and he opened up a file that had the name of Reid on it. "I got the runaround for a little bit, but I ended up speaking to a Section Chief, she really emphasized that, Erin Strauss."

"She was fired from the FBI for dereliction of duty. She did not tell me about my father's death, but instead, a co-worker found an article about it a month after it happened. This is my first chance to make it out here to Vegas. I just wanted to make sure that nothing else needed to be done."

"There is a lot that is required to be done. He had no will and with his life insurance set to be given over to a few charities in the area, but Diana Reid has been refusing to see us. I've tried to get a run around her hoping that the courts would just allow me to take care of it. Since you are here, you can take care of it all. I have all the files here." Early dug around in his drawer for another few seconds before he pulled another file out. He handed it over, and Spencer started to read it over. It was a copy of William Reid's life insurance policy that was set to go to three different charities in the local area. There was no provision in the file for his ex-wife or his child at all. Spencer looked at the date it had been changed, and it was after the whole mess with the Riley Jenkins case. Spencer wondered what it had been set to before that. Spencer signed the paperwork needed and dated it before handing it back.

"What about his cat?"

"I have her. Did you...Never mind. Forget I asked that. After William's death, we were all shocked. A wife and a kid that were never talked about. Going back to when he started here, you were ten when he left you. Your mother was put into Bennington when you turned eighteen. It couldn't have been easy for you. We never knew. The secretary that he had before was fired, and it wasn't until our boss asked her why that we knew. You had visited, and he'd covered it up. He was ashamed of what he had done, but instead of trying to fix it, he ignored it and acted like it didn't exist. He lived a double life."

Early stood up from his chair and moved around the desk to sit in the chair beside Spencer. "Your father's things from his house are still there, I only took out his cat, Princess. What do you want to be done with the rest of it?"

"Sell it all. William Reid has nothing there that I want, or my mother wants. Sell it all and donate the money to Bennington."

"The three founders of this firm were very upset over the life that they never knew that he was living. They made a donation to Bennington already in Diana's name."

"Do it with the rest of his things. If you don't want Princess, feel free to find her a new home."

"I'll let know when it is all done."

"Here is my card, that goes to my assistant. She'll keep me up to date on it all."

"Thank you. I am sorry for the loss of your father."

"The only thing that I am sorry about is that he'll never see me keep getting degrees just to spite him."

Early looked like he didn't know what to say to that and really there was nothing that could be said. Spencer stood up and moved towards the door. He left without a backward glance. When he stepped out of the lawyer's office, Piero was standing at the side of the car.

"Jackson has me lo-jacked with the new phone doesn't he?" Spencer asked. He'd used cabs to get around, and he was all right with that.

"He does, Doctor Reid. Told me to tell you to quit ducking me. Now, let's go to Bennington."

Piero was silent the entire way to Bennington. Spencer was glad about it. He'd said his goodbyes to his father years before, but he thought about how the other Spencer had made sure that he'd never get closure on the relationship.

"I'll wait out here. I have a book to read. Take your time. I'm paid whether I am driving you or not."

"Thanks. I don't know how long I am going to be."

Piero rolled down the windows, they were already parked under a tree. It was as much shade as he was going to get in the Vegas weather. The doors of Bennington looked no different than the last time that he had been there. The desk was right there, staffed by one of the long time help. Sierra looked up at him and smiled.

"Doctor Reid, Diana is all settled into her new wing. I'll walk you up there." Sierra talked to the lady beside her for a second before escorting Spencer to a different set of stairs. Spencer had known that his mother's situation had changed a little after Jackson had added her to the Grimes Tech insurance plan but he hadn't expected this. He was aware that was where the steps led. It was the private wing. The rooms were more private, and there was even a private sitting room for each patient. The door opened as she neared it and the lady at the desk right inside smiled at Spencer.

"I'll take him from here, Sierra. Doctor Reid welcome to X-Wing."

"X-Wing?"

"It's what this wing is called."

Spencer wondered if the woman had never seen Star Wars.

"Once we get you fully set up, you'll gain entry by a passcode that you set up yourself. The residents have their own dining hall and library. Diana has kept her books her in her room of course, but she's adjusting well. Now let's get the paperwork out of the way."

It was an hour before Spencer was shown to his mother's set of rooms. As if sensing that Spencer was nervous, the nurse left him at the doorway. His mother is sitting in a chair in her sitting room, the sun wrapped around her. Spencer just stared at her, taking in that his mother was alive and well and well cared for. There had been doubt in his mind that he would come home to find her dead at the other Spencer's hands. He knew that he had to talk to her about her situation. What she wanted to be done with her pension because none of it was needed for her care anymore. Spencer knew that it was going to go to one of two things, either Bennington as donation or research into her disease. Spencer would be happy with either.

There were no words said as Spencer stepped farther into the room, making himself known. His mother looked up at him and smiled as Spencer dropped to his knees, laying his head on her knee. She picked up her hand and started to card it through his hair as she went from reading silently to reading aloud. She didn't even pause at all, and for a little while, Spencer could believe that he was ten and that everything was fine.

The entire day was spent that way, Spencer stayed on his knees right there in front of his mother chair, and he let himself float on her words. He got lost in worlds that were not this one and situations that were nothing like what he was in at the moment. His mother didn't ask questions, and she didn't say a thing. She always said that a mother knows ad Spencer knew that what Spencer needed was silence.

# Mirror World

It took time, research and Penelope’s help but Spencer finally had someone who could give him answers. The woman, her name was unimportant as he looked down at her strapped to his table in his hidden room. Spencer had his special knife set off to the side, ready for him in case she didn’t cooperate. He really hoped she didn’t cooperate.

“Let’s try this again. Who is targeting us and why.” Spencer was standing in the V of the open table, looking down at the naked woman who was spread out before him. If he were a different sort of man he might have found it erotic, but Spencer knew what he was and she did nothing for him. She was a tool, the means to an end and he would extract the information he needed, he had a lot of patience. His Yakuza master taught him patience and how to get the most out of his victims.

“I..I don’t know, please, please let me go. I promise I won’t say anything.”

“Now see, I know that isn’t true. The moment I let you go you will go to the police. It will take the authorities exactly 24.2 minutes with no traffic to show up here. 30.6 minutes with traffic. In that time, I can remove any and all evidence of you even being here. Plus, no one would believe you,” Spencer leaned over and gently touched her stomach. He felt no arousal, women never did it for him. He wondered, at times, if he ever had it in him to rape someone. But just the thought of it repulsed him. Grabbing one of the thin blades from his collection he gently pressed it just below the woman’s breastbone and with the barest bit of pressure, he cut into her flesh.

The woman cried, but she didn’t scream, not yet anyway. When he was done almost an hour later, the intricate pattern over her flesh had Spencer smiling. He so did like to get creative, especially when his victims bored him, and this person was very much boring him.

Grabbing his camera Spencer took a picture. It would only stay in this room, and though the memory would never leave his mind, a picture always let him relive the moment in excruciating detail.

“Again, tell me who is after us.”

“I don’t know,” the woman screamed.

Spencer sighed as he pondered what he was going to do next. He wanted to save the softer parts for last, so he moved down, and after completely dry shaving the woman’s legs, Spencer continued the pattern he had started on the stomach. This time, she screamed, long and loud.

After cleaning the woman up after she passed out from the pain, Spencer left her there to sleep. He would be back in a few hours. He really hoped she lasted. Spencer hadn’t had someone to play with for a long time, and in the other world, he had been relatively careful. Strauss had been the worst of what Spencer had done, but that didn’t give him the satisfaction he craved.

Getting out of the shower, he saw Aaron was in bed, naked and stroking his cock.

“Come here.” Spencer didn’t need to be asked twice as he quickly crawled up on the bed. Aaron took his mouth in hard, demanding kisses. He reached back and found the plug he knew would be there and played with it till Spencer was whining. Aaron pulled it out and wrapped an arm possessively around Spencer’s waist.

“Ride me and tell me everything.”

Spencer smiled as he straddled Aaron’s waist. He knew his Dom both hated and loved this part of himself. He liked to hear Spencer recount every detail of his tortures. At first, the man had been ashamed to admit he enjoyed it, but over time he accepted it. This was not for the playroom; this was a deep intimacy that was just between them. They both knew that Jackson would be horrified to know this about them, so they did their best to keep it away from him.

Spencer slid down slowly and groaned as hands wrapped around his hips in a painful grip.

“She screamed so perfectly for me. She was reluctant, barely cried when I cut into the flesh on her stomach,” Aaron moaned as he thrust up into Spencer hard. Spencer leaned forward and grasped Aaron’s shoulders as he rode his cock Spencer kept his mouth near Aaron’s ear and detailed every moment of torture.

“Fuck,” Aaron cried out as he thrust in hard and came. He grabbed Spencer’s cock and in an almost iron grip, he jerked him off till Spencer striped his stomach with his release.

“Have I ever mentioned what a kinky bastard you are,” Spencer said as he collapsed next to Aaron.

“I’m not the only one,” Aaron almost purred as he stroked Spencer’s sweat-slicked back. He knew as long as Spencer had his victim, they would end up like this every time he was done with them for the day.

“She passed out. I’ll go check on her in a little while. Don’t worry Aaron. I’ll get it out of her, one way or another.” Spencer stood and went to take a shower. He considered wearing a cock cage but decided not to. He wanted to feel it, every single feeling he got from when he played with his victims.

* * *

“Please, please stop.” The woman cried, her once pretty face was puffy from crying, and the pain. It was now four day, and Spencer was impressed with her stamina.

“It will only stop when you give me a name. Who is killing people that look like my family? I know you know. I did in-depth research on everyone Aaron and myself have had contact with over the last five years. Your name came up consistently. A court reporter in many of the cases that Aaron took. Someone who watched us, someone who was, almost invisible, for who looks at the person taking down everything said in court. No one. You are nobody. No close family, only one or two friends to speak of and a cat. No one will miss you. Even your so-called friends will believe the lie my hacker friend is weaving all over your online activity. She’s damn good, and when she is through, there will be no trace you were ever here. Now, what do you know?”

Spencer started in on her arms, keeping up with the intricate pattern he was still carving into her. This was different from his usual tortures, but Spencer was relishing what he was doing. As his Sensei had taught him, torture could be creative and very satisfying. He didn’t like many of the crude nature of some tortures, like pulling nails, water, and electricity, things of that nature. Spencer went more for the elegant torture. He documented everything in his journal, using the code he had come up with, a mixture of Kanji, shorthand, and runic symbols that not even the best hackers and code breakers in the world could solve. He kept it in a very safe place.

“I have to say. I’m completely outdoing myself, you’re skin is perfect for this. No freckles, no blemishes, its a rarity. It’s almost a shame for me to mar it, but I do have to say it is rather beautiful. Here, let me show you.” Spencer grabbed the medical grade surgical mirror that he had bought just for his room. He placed it right over the woman and made her look at herself. The scream she let out made him shiver, not in horror, but satisfaction. He decided to leave it there as he walked around her body and continued.

“You know, I’ve been trying to figure out why you didn’t have a special someone in your life. You’re rather beautiful. But as I dug into your life, learning everything about you, I found out you are a social recluse. Social anxiety, borderline agoraphobic. If we met in different circumstances, I might have helped you, introduced you to a few friends that would have found you pleasing. It’s just your fate that you are here, for me, now.” Spencer ran his fingers down her other arm then started at her shoulder. She arched her back in pain as she screamed when Spencer made the first of his cuts.

“I have to hand it to you, your stamina is impressive, but no matter how much you beg me,” Spencer bent low so he could speak directly into her ear. “I won’t stop till you give me what I want.”

The woman settled back on the stainless steel bed, her eyes red-rimmed and bruised looking. Spencer knew she was past the point of feeling cold. He had lowered the temperature of the room, knowing eventually she would become numb to it.

“I don’t know, you sick fuck,” The woman screamed at Spencer. “I see you and your partner in court, his smug attitude, and you fawning all over him. Perverted, fucks.”

“Ohh, now we are getting somewhere. Come on sweetheart, just give me a name.” Spencer gentled his fingers on her face, wiping away her tears. The dispassion on his face belied what he was feeling inside.

Spencer waited out the woman’s struggle as she tried to get free, but he knew she was tiring, her efforts were weak and ineffective. When she collapsed back, crying, Spencer cleaned up the areas he had finished, made her drink some water, then left her alone. As he started to exit the room, he turned down the temperature just a tad. He ignored his discomfort during the sessions and was able to push it down. He also turned the lights all the way up. He was alternating from complete darkness to total brightness, disorienting her. The last thing he did was turn on the low hum that would come in over the speakers. That to he changed up, from a low whine to a hum, or other disorienting noises.

Spencer knew she was close to breaking.

* * *

“Fucking bastard,” the woman’s voice was weak and fading. Spencer knew she was close to her limit. Six days, he was impressed. But, Spencer found out years ago just how long the average woman could last during his tortures. It appalled him that some of the men he had in his secret room often didn’t last more than a couple of days.

“I am very much a bastard. But I can end the torture and make this quick if you just give me the name of the man you were working with. I am an infinitely patient man. I can give you facts and statistics, but it would be wasted on you at this point. Just tell me who is after us,” Spencer cupped her cheek, rubbing his thumb across her lips, “and I will release you.”

The woman was crying, but no tears spilled. She was dehydrated, and Spencer knew no more tears would spill. He calculated in his head just how much long she had, and it was hours now. He grabbed the knife and was going to start on the last part of her body, the most personal of areas, and before he even touched the knife to her groin, she was screaming out a name.

“Curtis, John Curtis. Please, please just end this.” Spencer sighed as he put his knife in the tray to be cleaned. He walked over to his work table and grabbed a syringe he had prepared the day before. Walking back to the woman he inserted the needle in the vein at the crook of her elbow. It would make her heart stop, but no trace of the drug would show in any tox screening.

“You, go to hell,” were the woman’s last words as she took her last breath. Spencer cleaned her up quickly and took his final pictures of what he considered his greatest masterpiece. He then went about the task of disposing of the body. The incinerator had been a gift from Aaron a couple of years ago. It wasn’t so much to protect them. They were protecting Jackson. The man loved Aaron, and at that time had cared for Spencer. Neither one of them wanted their darker natures to touch Jackson in any way, so they were careful.

After Spencer had been done he sought Aaron out, taking a copy of the photos with him, which would be destroyed after he showed them to Aaron, he wanted his lover to see his masterpiece. Spencer found Aaron in his office. When he stepped in, Spencer shut and locked the door, walked over to his Dom and straddled his lap.

“John Curtis. I know that name, but I’ll have to do a deep dive and find out why he’s doing all of this. Somehow, I think he is connected to Foyet, just not sure how.”

“And what’s in your hand?” Aaron lifted the corner of his mouth in a dark, feral smile, anticipating what it was that Spencer had.

“A present. You get to see them once, then they will be destroyed. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it. And, before you ask, everything is cleaned up, not even a piece of hair.”

Aaron’s eyes darkened with lust as he pulled Spencer hard against his body and kissed him. Spencer vibrated in anticipation as his cock filled painfully in his pants. The next few hours were going to be exquisite.

# Our World

Spencer was never sure what to expect when he came home. An Aaron that was touching him and loving or an Aaron that was only focused on Jack. Spencer let it be because he was still trying to get his head wrapped around everything. He wasn't sure if the older man was starting to resent him for the loss of his job as Unit Chief or something else, but he wasn't even sure what that was. Spencer chose to focus on Morgan because the man was driving Spencer insane with his demands. Grace had spent all day keeping Morgan From his office as he worked on all the paperwork for the FBI that he had been unable to do over the week with the work that Morgan had given him. Morgan wasn't adding anything to his load that didn't need to be done, it was the timeline for it needing to be done. Spencer had barely made it home all week before Jack's bedtime, and tonight, he hadn't made it back before time ticked over the ten o'clock hour, but Spencer had finished all of his work for the FBI and Jackson. He had nothing that he had to focus on for the weekend except for Jack and Aaron.

"Aaron?" Spencer called out as he hung up his coat and laid his bag on the table. He found Aaron sitting in the dark in the little dining room area. There was a bottle of bourbon sitting on the table, a glass beside it that was half full. It hadn't been in the apartment before. Aaron had said he would go get rid of everything except the things that Spencer liked to drink and the good bottle of bourbon that Rossi had bought Aaron after he took the Section Chief job. The bottle was over half empty.

"Finally come home?" Aaron asked, his words careful and measured. Aaron was very upset. He may have been drunk, but he was so upset that he was calm, too calm. Spencer felt a knot forming in his stomach.

"I finished work, yes." Spencer wasn't sure what the problem was. He had made sure that Aaron knew where he was and what he was doing at all times. Hourly texts past the six o'clock hour giving a rough estimate of when Spencer would be home. He was actually home earlier than his plan had been because traffic hadn't been bad at all. He had the entire weekend to do whatever Aaron wanted him to. Total devotion to him the whole two days. Jackson knew not to contact Spencer, and so did Grant.

"I'm shocked you didn't spend another night in the office. You seem to want to be there more than here." That tone of belligerence was one that Spencer was sure that he'd never heard from Aaron. It didn't fit him at all. A man of his status shouldn't use that tone, no matter who he was speaking to but never with someone that he said he loved.

Spencer looked at Aaron in shock. Was Aaron really going to drop that? Was he really going to put work as a reason for a fight? Spencer now understood how Aaron had felt when Haley brought it up, time and again.

"Because I want to be stuck at work doing paperwork for a week straight. Paperwork that you used to be the one to do, and now it falls to me on orders from my new Unit Chief. Grace has done more work for Grimes Tech this week than I have. Between her and Grant on the Grimes side, I was only barely able to have all of the staff given the green light for hiring for the Nevada branch of the server unit. Maybe instead of sitting here in the dark, feeling sorry for yourself, and drinking a bottle of expensive bourbon, you should be looking into why I am the only one in the unit to be pulling hours like this."

Aaron didn't say anything, but he did down what was in the glass before he filled it back up. His movements were oo fluid, he was overcompensating a lot.

Spencer spoke when he had the glass halfway up to his mouth. "If you drink that, Aaron. I will leave, and I won't come back. So make your decision between alcohol and me."

Aaron glared at him as he downed the amber liquid in the glass. He filled it again before standing up. "You'll still be right there when I get back," Aaron said matter of factly. The older man turned and moved towards the guest bathroom. As soon as the door shut, Spencer moved forward. His phone was in his pocket, and all he needed to do was grab Jack. Spencer wasn't leaving the boy there with his drunk and pissed father. Jack was hard to wake up when he was dead asleep, so Spencer picked him up and grabbed the backpack that was in his closet for quick overnight stays at Jessica's. It had everything he needed. Spencer grabbeď his bag and slung it over his shoulder before Spencer shut the door. He wasn't even going to stop at his apartment. Spencer had clothes in a go bag in the trunk of his car. He would be okay. His gun was still on his hip, and he was thankful.

Spencer took his time in buckling in Jack in the backseat of his new car. He had chosen a Chevy Impala when he and Aaron had gone car shopping two weeks before. Jack's booster seat was in the back already; Spencer had bought it for the boy when he had bought the new car. Jack still had a few inches to go before he was allowed to ride in the backseat without it. Aaron figured that he would be out of it before the end of the year. Spencer felt his phone vibrate with a call, but he ignored it. Spencer drove carefully, his hands shaking because what Spencer was doing was illegal. If Aaron wanted to, he could press charges. Spencer wasn't moving him across state lines, thankfully, but it as kidnapping as his father was not aware that Spencer was taking him. Spencer wanted to believe that Aaron would never hurt Jack or him while he was drunk but Spencer had never seen him that drunk before.

The unknown scared Spencer more than anything else. He wouldn't have been able to leave without Jack, he knew that. The thought that Aaron could even accidentally hurt Jack was too frightening for Spencer than even the idea of Aaron hurting him.

Spencer parked in the spot that he always did when he went to JJ's. The porch light turned on, and Spencer saw Will there at the window. Will hadn't seen Spencer's new car, so he wasn't shocked to see the man staring out at him. Spencer pushed himself up and out of the car. The curtain closed and the door opened.

"Spencer?" Will asked.

"I need help with Jack, please." Spencer shouldn't have carried him the first time but the boy was still dead asleep and waking him would have taken longer than he wanted to take. Will started down the stairs and took Jack from the seat as soon as Spencer opened the back seat door. Spencer grabbed Jack's bag as well as his own. He realized he hadn't grabbed his coat.

"Hotch called. He's drunk, and JJ hung upon him. He was only asking about if you had come here. JJ told him that she wouldn't tell him anything as long as he was drunk. Did you leave your phone on?"

"I've been ignoring the calls. Garcia won't tell him anything while he's drunk either." Spencer knew that for sure.

"What happened?" JJ asked as Spencer, and Will got to the front porch.

"Will, can you put him on the guest bed? He and I will share."

"Sure." Will went right for the stairs, and Spencer sat down on the couch after dropping his and Jack's bags down on the floor by the stairs. JJ tucked into his side and wrapped her arms around him. She didn't press him for answers. Spencer wasn't going to live as he was. He thought about the offer that Jackson had given him. The key to his condo was on Spencer's personal key ring. Spencer has taken it to make Jackson happy, but it might be where he ended up anyway. His apartment didn't feel like home and Aaron's was feeling less and less like it was a safe place.

The soft padding of footsteps heralded the arrival of Will back in the living room, but he didn't go to them. He went into the kitchen, and there was the sound of him puttering around in there. After few minutes, the steps came back, and the warm mug was pressed into Spencer's hands. He opened his eyes and raised his head to see it was Will's hot chocolate. Spencer took a sip and felt it warm him all the way down to his bones.

"Do you want to know the irony of all of this?" Spencer asked as he looked at Will, who had taken a seat on the coffee table right in front of Spencer.

"What?" JJ asked.

"He turned into Haley. He accused me of wanting to be at work and not at home. I think the only thing that could have shocked me more was if he accused me of cheating. The only night I have slept at the office is that first week that I was back. Since we got back from that last case, Morgan has been giving me more and more work. I log it all and file it, and I know that at some point it's going to come to a head, but I can't step out of line after what happened with Strauss. But no instead of doing his damned job and figuring out what is wrong, Aaron is pissed at me. I'm doing everything that he wants, everything. I'm being perfect for him, and he's mad at me because of work."

"Was he drinking when you got home?" Will asked.

"Over half of the bottle gone before I got home. Aaron drained his glass and filled it again while I watched. I told him that if he drank it, I was going to leave. He didn't believe me and drank it. I couldn't leave Jack there."

"Has he told you about his childhood?" Will asked. It was an absolutely valid question because the man didn't talk about anything. The team only knew about the divorce because Haley had had his papers served to him at work.

Spencer shook his head. "No. I know that our worlds were close enough that if even half of what happened to the other Aaron happened to this one, I wasn't going to leave Jack. I want to believe that Aaron would never hurt Jack or even me but there is such a high chance of accidents whenever one is drunk. Not knowing how hard they are gripping an arm. Not realizing how close someone is. There were so many accidents that truly were not the drunk person's fault." Spencer had given a classmate a black eye the first time he had got drunk. Flinging his arms out too fast, too hard, and too close. Spencer had felt sorry about it and hadn't ever got that drunk again.

"He sounded angry when he called both times that I answered the phone. I muted the ringer on my cell and the house phone. He's upset about you working? That's really it?" JJ sounded confused. Spencer knew that there had to be more to it, but the man wasn't talking.

"I don't know what else it can be. I'm doing everything thatAaron wants. Every single second that I am not working, I am with him and Jack. I don't know what else to do, JJ. I really don't." Spencer drained the hot chocolate before it started to get cold. He set the mug down beside Wills and leaned back on the couch. Spencer had done a lot better at being perfect for Aaron. He was the perfect lover, the perfect father figure to Jack. Aaron had been happy. He had been acting totally perfect, and Spencer knew it. He had learned the art of real deception at the other Aaron.

Aaron was passionate when they fucked. Spencer's body knew the touch of his lover and craved the closeness that sex gave them. Aaron still went for lessons with Trevor when his work allowed, and Spencer hadn't been back to the club yet, his own work stopping him. Aaron never saw the weariness because Spencer was good at hiding it. There was nothing at fault in Spencer performance for the older man. Drinking wasn't the answer, and Aaron knew that, yet he still had got drunk while he was home alone with Jack and Spencer couldn't stand that.

"Go upstairs and get some sleep. Everything will look better in the morning. If Hotch shows up, we won't let him in, but I am going to text Hotch and tell him that you've checked in with me and you are fine. If he asks about Jack, I will say that he is with you."

"I don't expect you to lie to him about Jack. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I had left him."

"You really do love him, don't you?" JJ asked.

"I do. I never thought that I could love someone as much as I do my mom but I do with Jack and Henry. I couldn't leave him, JJ. I care more about his safety than I do my own. If Aaron presses charges, so be it."

Spencer didn't even wait for her or Will to say anything. He stood up and moved to the stairs, grabbing their things as he passed them. In the guest room, he changed quickly. Jack was sprawled on his back in the middle of the bed, so Spencer lifted his arm and laid down beside him. Jack smelled like he’d taken a bath and Spencer buried his nose in Jack's hair.

Sleep don't come to Spencer as he laid there and tried to map out a future without Aaron in it. He hoped that the man wouldn't keep Jack from him, but he started to think about that as well. The door opened and shut a few times, Will or JJ checking on him before it opened and didn't shut. Then there was a body crawling into the bed as well. Henry cuddled up into Spencer's back, gripping his t-shirt. Henry said nothing and his breathing evened out, so Spencer didn't say anything to wake him back up.

There was a lot of things that he had to consider. He liked the new apartment better than his old so he wasn't going to leave it if push came to shove and Aaron wanted him out of his life in a personal manner. Spencer could work with him, probably even see him go on dates if it came down to it. Aaron would probably be less than happy when Spencer started to date, but that was his problem and not Spencer's. If it were too bad in the apartment building, he'd move into Jackson's condo. That would piss Aaron off, but it again wasn't Spencer's problem. He could hear the murmur of voices from the bedroom down the hall. Whatever conversation was happening, it wasn't a good one. Spencer sighed and rolled over to grab his phone. He really should text Jessica that Aaron was drunk and he had Jack with him, just to be safe.

Jessica texted back quickly that she was happy that Jack was safe as Aaron had already texted her and asked if he was there, but it didn't seem that Aaron had realized Jack wasn't there. Spencer gave her JJ and Will's address and set his phone aside. He shifted Jack around to where Spencer could lay on his back to try and at least get a little bit of sleep. It wasn't going to be good sleep, but any sleep was better than none.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

# Our World

Spencer could feel two bodies in bed with him. He didn't move as his mind woke up, trying to process why there were two bodies in bed with him. The body behind him shifted, and he felt a small hand settle on his back. Spencer opened his eyes to see Jack's face in front of him and surmised it was still Henry behind him. He settled down into the bed, enjoying the peaceful morning.

Eyes closed, Spencer was almost asleep again when the flash of what happened the night before came to him. Spencer groaned and buried his head in the pillow in front of him. It wasn't a sleepover for the boys. Spencer remembered that he was at JJ's, hiding from Aaron. The sounds of the world around him started to creep into his brain, and Spencer realized that he could hear talking.

Spencer slipped out of bed, carefully moving Jack and Henry more towards the middle of the bed. He didn't want them rolling off, especially Henry. There was no bathroom attached, so Spencer quickly changed out of his clothes from the night before and into a clean outfit from the go bag. He had worked out in the afternoon on base, so he didn't feel the need to shower again. His heart was aching. So much had gone so wrong since he had come home.

There was a chair in the bedroom, facing the bed, so Spencer sat down in it and looked at the boys. There wasn't a thing in the world that he wouldn't do for them. Spencer had learned that there wasn't a limit at all in the other world. The other Aaron could have easily got him to do questionable things if he had realized that Spencer would do to protect Jack.

If Aaron fought him on drinking, Spencer would do his damnedest to make sure that Jack wasn't left with him. Jessica would be the first choice for custody with the courts. Jessica wouldn't stop Spencer from seeing Jack so it would be good. Jack didn't need to be around a father who drank to solve his problems. If it ruined Spencer's career at the FBI, he didn't care. Jackson would shelter him.

Spencer thought about the other Jackson and Aaron. The jealousy that Spencer had felt toward Jackson had been something that he hadn't been able to fight. He was an outside perspective, and he saw the truth of it. The other Spencer was the perfect sub for them to share. If only Aaron opened his eyes and got over his possessiveness. Everything that Aaron wanted was right there in front of him.

The Jackson of his world had proven to be a perfect friend. His relationship with Charlie was right for the man, and it was helping him come out of his shell. He didn't know what he wanted, and Spencer knew that he needed to figure that out before he made a decision but first, had to talk to Aaron. Which wasn't going to happen with him hiding ni JJ's guest bedroom. He checked his phone and found a few messages from Aaron. He chose to wait to look at them.

Opening the bedroom door silently, Spencer slipped out and shut it just as silent. He crept down the hall and stopped wen he realized that there were two men's voices talking and JJ. Spencer sat down on the top step of the hall and listened.

"His car is here, JJ."

"I never said he wasn't just that you aren't going to see him. Right now he's asleep in bed with Jack and Henry."

"When did you even notice your son was gone, Hotch?" Will asked.

There was silence. Spencer looked down at his phone and unlocked it, bringing up the messenger app.

**I'm sorry, Spencer.**

**I messed up.**

**Please come home.**

Then at five am was the final message.

**Please tell me Jack is with you.**

Spencer locked his phone again and waited. He wanted to know the answer to Will's question as well.

"When I spent an hour puking, and I wanted to see if I had woke him up. It was a little after five. Look I know that I messed up. I know that I have a lot of things to make up for. I can't do that with him not here. I can wait until he wakes up."

"I think it would be best Hotch, if he is allowed to go back to you when he wants," Will's voice was hard. The clink of a mug on the counter drew Spencer out of his reverie. He didn't know what he wanted. He and Jack could stay all day at JJ's but was it what was best for the relationship.

Spencer knew there was a flaw in the relationship. He wasn't sure exactly where it was. Spencer didn't know if Aaron just wasn't seeing everything or if Aaron hadn't realized that Spencer wasn't the other Spencer. Spencer didn't want to accuse and make a mistake, so he hoped that the truth of it came out son.

"I got rid of everything in the apartment again. I'd bought a few different ones but hadn't drunk them and that bottle I bought last night was stupid. I only kept Spencer's expensive brandy that I hate. If he wants to dump it, he can."

"That's smart," JJ said.

"What happened Hotch?" Will asked.

"I messed up royally. I actually feel pretty disgusted with myself. I thought that Spencer had just gone back to his apartment but I was at least of sound enough mind I didn't go and bang on Spencer's door. I just kept calling his house phone. At two a.m., I stopped and was sitting on the couch, staring at the joined wall. Dave had been over early in the evening, ate dinner with Jack and I. I had hoped that Spencer would be there. The rest of the team left on time or before."

"Morgan has been drowning him in paperwork. I told Spence to go to you, but he said that he could handle it. I think he was hoping you would notice because all of the reports go through you before they get filed and taken care of."

"I wasn't paying attention. You know Spencer, JJ. He asks for more work all the time. I am not adjusting well to the change in the relationship of him coming home."

"You need to see him. See _him_!" JJ said.

"I do see him."

"No, you don't." JJ sounded upset.

"Y' don't, Hotch," Will said, the seeming calm voice in the room. "You see the person that the other Spencer wanted you to see in him. You treat him like the other Spencer. Who by his own statements to you was an individual who lied to you all the time? So why are you treating him like that Spencer?"

There was silence. Spencer was too far away to hear breathing.

"He is like-"

"No!" Will said, impassioned.

"How would you know?"

"Because the other Spencer was trained for years as that Aaron's submissive. Our Spencer had what six months? The other Spencer didn't teach you in seeing what you needed to see because he only let you see what he wanted you to see. Spencer saw a no-win situation last night. He half expected the cops to come and take him away and give Jack back to you. You didn't believe him when he said that he would leave if you took that drink. You thought that ordering him to stay would make him stay. He's not a blind slave. He's supposedly the man you love. He's supposed to be the man that you told the brass to either take the relationship and accept it or they could fuck off."

Spencer was surprised by Will's words. The man was talking a lot more than Spencer remembered him every doing.

"I do love him."

"Then why is he here? Hiding from you. Why were you drinking? He compared you to Haley last night. Said you sounded like her. I have to wonder how close that description is. What do you want him to do? Do you want him to tell Morgan to shove it? Then it would go right above your head. Or do you want to go over the initials on all the files and see who is doing them?"

"I want to talk to Spencer."

"No. You can leave and think about why the hell he's here and not at home in your bed." There was silence for several minutes. Spencer didn't dare breathe too loud, afraid that he would attract attention to him. "It's Saturday and JJ, and I had planned to take a small trip to take Henry to the zoo in Norfolk. Why don't you and Spencer have some time apart, and we take him and Jack there as well?"

"Fine."

Spencer heard the sound of chair legs scraping on the hardwood, and he jumped up, quickly but silently and moved to where he couldn't be seen. He wasn't ready to face Aaron. He needed to shore himself up mentally before he did that. Spencer heard footsteps echoing towards the door. He heard them stop. He held his breath until he heard the door open and shut. So footsteps started up the stairs. JJ gasped when she saw him standing there. JJ pulled him into a hug. He settled into her arms.

"What did you hear?"

"From when he pointed out that my car was here. I think that the zoo sounds lovely."

"Good. Why don't you go shower in my bathroom? I'll get more coffee started, and breakfast started."

Spencer kissed the crown of her head. "I don't know what I would do without you right now."

"Go shower, Spence, and I'll wake the little monsters."

Spencer let go of her and moved into the master bedroom, finding things already laid out for him for a shower, as well as a change of clothes. One Of the outfits he had left a year ago for the nights he babysat Henry there instead of taking him back to his place. It was jeans and a light sweater. A pair of mismatched socks were on top, and Spencer smiled because they weren't his. But they looked like something that Henry would have talked his parents into buying.

The shower was quick, but he felt better about everything when he was done, as he was sure was JJ's intent. Sensor stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed, to find Henry and Jack sitting on the bed. They had on socks on their feet that matched Spencer's. Both boys were laughing.

"Mama found us matching socks, Uncle Spencer. I let Jack borrow the other pair."

"I see that. It's cool. Is breakfast ready?"

"Yes. Aunt JJ even let me bring coffee up to you, Papa." Jack pointed at the dresser right beside where Spencer was. Spencer picked up the cup and took a drink. "Did I make it right?"

"Perfect Jack. Why don't we go down and fill our bellies?"

Jack jumped off the bed and tucked himself into Spencer's right side, Henry did the same except on his left. When they entered the kitchen, Jack stayed right at Spencer's side, but Henry moved over to sit in a seat. Spencer took a seat, but Jack didn't sit in the one beside him, instead he planted himself on Spencer's right leg. JJ gave him a plate stacked with pancakes and a small plate of bacon.

"Can I share yours?" Jack asked, his voice low to where Spencer could barely hear it.

"'Of course."

"Chocolate milk or apple juice?" Will asked.

"Juice, please, Unce Will."

"Hen?"

"Juice."

Spencer started to cut up the pancakes as Will got drinks for the boys. When he was done, Jack picked up the syrup and coated the pieces.

"Why do you do it that way?" Henry asked.

"It's the way that my mom did it. She said that the cut pieces soaked up more syrup," Spencer explained. Jack picked up his fork and started to eat. Spencer ate slower making sure that Jack was getting his fill. The boy ate a healthy portion of the large stack of pancakes and a few pieces of bacon. When Jack was done eating, he didn't leave Spencer's lap, so he continued to eat what was left and smiled when JJ dropped another pancake worth of pieces onto the plate. Jack covered them in syrup again.

"Thanks, Jayje."

"Of course, Spence." JJ turned to look at Henry. "Henry are you okay with Jack and Uncle Spencer going with us to the zoo today?"

"Yes. That's going to be so cool."

"Yes, it is," Spencer said. Breakfast was sedated after Henry finished eating his pancakes and convinced Jack to go with him to pack up things to keep them entertained.

"I don't know what to do to make him see me. I think that a weekend apart would be good. When we get back tonight, can you drop off Jack, JJ?"

"Sure. Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know. I was thinking maybe the condo that Jackson has here."

"You've been spending more time with him," Will said as he set down a cup filled with coffee for Spencer. Spencer picked it up, liking the warmth on his fingers.

"I'm not attracted to him. He's just a friend."

"You trust him more than you trust Hotch at the moment."

Spencer slumped his shoulders and settled into his chair more. "Yes. And I am going to talk to him soon I just...I need to know my own mind before I try and talk to him and I'm not adjusting well to being back."

"And Hotch isn't helping with his hot and cold is he?"

"No."

* * *

Spencer settled into his apartment with a sigh. He had the door cracked to where he could hear JJ and Hotch talking, whenever JJ brought Jack up. He didn't want to stay the night with JJ again, but he didn't want to go to Aaron's. He would go over and talk to him in the morning. JJ and Jack were going to arriving outside in a few minutes, he had driven himself there after grabbing his things. Jack didn't know that though so that he wouldn't have to lie to his father.

The sound of the ding of the elevator had Spencer holding his breath. He heard the footsteps down the hall, and he wasn't sure if he really wanted to stay to listen or not. When the knock on the door echoed down the corridor, Spencer cringed.

"JJ," Aaron said as the door opened.

"Dad, we had so much fun at the zoo. Papa knew everything about all the animals and me and Henry didn't stump him once!"

"That's really awesome, buddy. Why don't you go get changed into PJs and then we can talk more."

"Sure." Jack's soft steps sounded for a few seconds and then was gone.

"He's not with us, Hotch."

"Is he okay?"

"No, he's not. He's lost and trying to find his footing and whatever war you have going on inside of yourself is not helping him."

"I thought he loved me," Aaron said.

Spencer felt a stab of pain in his heart. He barely held back the sob.

"He does love you."

"No, not MY Spencer, the other one. I thought that he loved me. I believed that how he treated me was how my Spencer should when he got back. I had this picture in my head of what was going to happen, and none of it did."

"He was good as manipulation, you knew that. But you thought he did it to everyone but you."

"At least when it came to the relationship, yes."

"I don't think he had the capabilities of loving anyone, actually," JJ pointed out.

"I believe that you are right. His love for Jack was a carryover from his own Jack. He loved him, yes, but it wasn't a new love. He adored Henry, but I don't know if he loved him or not."

Spencer knew the truth that his doppelganger did fall in love with Henry. His fascination with the boy had been large, and while he had tried to stay away, he hadn't been able to.

"What do I need to do?"

"Only you know that Hotch. You are the only one that knows what you want and what you need to do."

Spencer waited until the chime of the elevator door sounded again, and Aaron shut his door before he coaxed his own door shut. He didn't know what he was feeling. He didn't know if it would be better to just cut and run from Aaron and rebuild his life without him. Try and eek out and existence within the FBI, under Aaron's thumb or cut from that all the way. He didn't think that Aaron would keep Jack away from him, but he couldn't count it out at the start. Aaron was wholly wrapped up in Spencer. Spencer though wasn't wrapped up in Aaron. They needed to find a balance, but Spencer had to be balanced himself before he did.

Sitting down in reading his reading chair, Spencer knew what he had to do. He had to balance himself to be true to himself. And he knew exactly where to start.

* * *

Spencer settled into his desk at six a.m. Monday morning. He had his paperwork all laid out in front of him. JJ had dropped it onto Grace's desk on Friday before she had left for the day. He also had a new pile of employee files for the DC firm. Jackson had left them with one of the night guards over the weekend. At the top was Jessica's file. The employment offer had been made last week it seemed, and she had agreed to a lunch interview. The written transcript of the call had been attached to the file. Jackson had not told her who she was going to be seeing for the interview. Spencer was a little upset about that, but he knew that it was Jackson's way of having fun. The interview was also just a formality. Her hiring packet was under her file. The rest of their files were all for her to go over to staff her office. Jackson had handed picked all the files for the staff, and Spencer remembered a lot of the names from other locations. People willing to relocate if needed. Jackson had wanted her for the tech firm he had wanted to put into DC, but once he had got more into her background and what she did at her job, he wanted to offer her the DC branch of the database and the job of overseeing all server farms.

"Pen?" Grace called as she entered the outer office. Her head popped into the door frame.

"I've not been here all night. I just got in."

"I was in on Saturday to handle a few things for Jackson, and there was a stack of files on my desk. They are gone."

"Yes. The files are back on Morgan's desk where they belong. I decided that I wasn't going to wait until those above me decided to actually do something and instead I put them back in his hands. Morgan can handle his own files."

"Good on you. Should I make the good coffee today?"

"Yes. For you and for me. No one else."

"Not even-" Grace nodded towards Aaron's office as she stepped fully inside. Her eyes widened at the shut door. "I see. Good coffee for you and me. I have those new mugs that you and that guard were raving about. I found a nice purple one for you and a pink one for me."

"Awesome."

Grace stepped back out of the doorway, and Spencer started to work on his FBI work. He had already penciled in his lunch meeting and wrote it down for an hour and a half. Once the DC firm was up and running, Spencer would have a lot less to do as Jessica would be the one to coordinate with all of the other branches. Jessica would only answer to Spencer and Jackson once she accepted the job. If Jessica liked the job and took it, Spencer would breathe better because whoever took that job would be the person that Spencer spent the most time with. He was afraid that Aaron would get jealous.

Sunday had been tense. Spencer had gone over to Aaron's before him, and Jack had woke up. He'd made breakfast, and it had been in the oven keeping warm when the two Hotchner men had stumbled out of their bedrooms. Aaron had looked shocked to see him while Jack was just hungry. Spencer had pushed Aaron into his seat, served him his breakfast and his coffee and sat down to eat.

"Jackers, do you think you can play in your room for a while?" Spencer had asked after Jack had finished eating.

"Sure."

"Thank you."

Jack had put his plate and glass by the sink before he had left the room.

"You were treating me like him, and I was treating you like the other Aaron," Spencer had started out. For two hours they had talked back and forth. Words had been spoken, and while things had been resolved, for the time being, it had all been words. Only time would tell what actions were shown to prove intent. Spencer had slept in Aaron's bed the night before, but there had still been something off between them, and Spencer didn't know what it was.

"Reid," Morgan said, startling Spencer out of his thoughts of the day and night before.

"Yes, Sir?" Spencer asked, just to watch Morgan glare at the word. Spencer looked at the clock and saw that it had just ticked past seven. He leaned back in his chair.

"I'd like to see you in my office."

"Yes, Sir. I'll be there in a moment." Spencer stacked the few files he had worked on for the morning into their own pile while Morgan watched. When it looked like Spencer was done, Morgan left the office. Spencer stood up and grabbed the files, going to drop them off to JJ on his way to Morgan's office. Grace had his mug ready for him, sitting at the edge of her desk. Aaron's office door was closed. Spencer hadn't even realized that he had got into work. Spencer had woke him briefly to let him know that he was heading into work early to get some things out of the way so that he could leave on time with Aaron that night. Spencer had texted JJ and asked her to pick up Aaron so that they wouldn't be driving two cars back.

The walk from Spencer office to Morgan's new on was quick. Spencer dropped off JJ's work to her. She smiled and then looked at Morgan's office and frowned.

"Good luck."

"Might want to have security on the floor and maybe a member of the brass."

"Dear God, Spence."

Spencer only smiled and moved to Morgan's office. Morgan was sitting at his desk with the pile of paperwork that Spencer had returned sitting in front of him.

"I gave this to you to do, Reid. Why isn't it done?"

"It's not my work to complete, Sir. I do not have to do it if I don't wish."

"I ordered you to."

"And I don't have to do what you order me to. I know front and back and left and right the work that I have to do. If you wish to take this higher we can."

"Hotch isn't going to make you do a damned thing, and we all know it. So just cut that act. You need to do this paperwork, and you need to do it now."

"No."

"Then go home, and I'll make sure that you are not paid for today. Think about that."

"Do you think that threat scares me, Morgan? I will go home, and I will work on the Database Project. I won't even miss the money from here. So think about that, Morgan. If you don't want me in the Unit, say so. I'll go away if you want. I'll turn in my resignation from this unit and move elsewhere within the FBI. Or I leave it all together and stay liaison for the database project."

"Go home, Reid."

"Fine. I'll do that. Think about what you are starting though." Spencer stood up from his seat, and he moved out of the room without a backward glance at Morgan. He went to his office.

"I'll be on my cell phone today, and I'll take my Grimes files and the FBI ones with me."

"Wow. What shall I tell Hotch?"

"Tell him he can ask Morgan."

"Where will you be?"

"Out and about until my lunch interview."

"Okay. Have a good day, Doctor Reid."

"You too Grace."

Spencer gathered up his things. Slipping all of his files into the new briefcase that Rossi had given him. The mad had said it was to save the life of his messenger bag. Spencer gladly took his mug of coffee with him. He kissed Grace's cheek and left the office. Spencer went right to the elevators that would take him down from the far side, not going through the BAU bullpen at all. He texted Aaron that he was going to go home and get his car and use it for the day to run his errands. He got a message back that it was fine and that he was being pulled into a meeting.

Errands filled the rest of Spencer's morning as he bided his time until the agreed upon time for the interview. Spencer arrived early and was seated where he could watch the door. He watched Jessica as she entered the restaurant. The reservation was under Jackson so when the hostess pointed to where Spencer was seated, he got to watch Jessica's eyes widen in shock. She made her way to him.

"Aaron has talked about your database project, but he's not talked about it much. Your database project the one that Jackson Grimes is doing is the same isn't it?"

"One and the same. This is a formality. Jackson Grimes wanted you for the job long before he even told me about it. The job is yours as soon as you want it."

"What would my job be?"

"Coordinating all of the server farms across the country. Each state is going to have one but the on in DC is going to be the one to make sure that everything is done correctly. You will also oversee the Federal inputting of data. You will report to two people only. You will talk the most though probably with Grace or Grant."

"Grace is Aaron's new assistant isn't she?"

"Yes. She is also the one who coordinates with Grant on keeping tabs on me."

"When I talked to Jackson, he said that he knew I would take the job."

"The facility here in DC will have around the clock babysitting for all employees. When I am out on a case, and Aaron is working late, Jack will be picked up from school by a driver and taken back to you. There is, of course, the underlings you will be in charge of and a substantial pay raise."

"Why?"

"Jackson's exact reasons are only known to him but he believes in family, and for some reason, he considers me family. That means taking care of me and those I consider family. If Jackson were a corrupt man, he would be able to control anyone he wanted by doing this, but he's not. His motives are pure. I also think that if my job with the FBI pans out or the relationship with Aaron, he wants me to know what he'll protect me. He's never offered me a job with Grimes Tech other than a consultant, but I figure that it's only because he knows that right now, I won't leave."

"I've noticed that many of the best and brightest from the world over take jobs with Grimes Tech. He's pulled families and got them green cards just to make sure a child has the education needed to become the best they would be."

"Jackson likes intelligence. He wants to breed it, to make it the strongest force in the world."

"What does this database do?"

"Every single crime in the country will be put into it. One-off or not. The criminals of the world get smarter. We have some databases, but one has to plug the crime data into each one to find a serial aspect. This would take all of that and put it into one. So those criminals can't cross state lines to avoid being caught. There will also be ways that smaller offices can check into serial crimes to predict what it going to happen next or know how worried they would be if something turns serial."

"It's a lot of data entry?"

"For the server farms, yes. Even the DC office will have its share. There is going to be a lot of schmoozing and ass kissing, but Jackson's own reputation will cancel out most of that. He doesn't tolerate liars at all."

"And if I accept?"

"Then Jackson will be happy. He likes ambitious people, but he understands the difference between doing what one needs and doing what one must." Spencer handed over the packet and let Jessica look it over. Their waiter filled their glasses with water and Spencer ordered an appetizer. Jessica wasn't done looking at the packet when the appetizer was delivered to the table. Jessica set the papers aside.

"He makes it hard to turn away, and the benefits that continue if I decide to leave the job, up until I take another makes it feel safe."

"He hates the idea of people quitting his employ, but he doesn't want someone staying if they fear what could happen while they are jobless. No everyone is happy with the job they take. Life situations change."

"I accept."

"Good. Someone from Grimes Tech will be in contact probably within the hour of us finishing lunch. So let us set aside talk of jobs and duty and just talk."

Jessica laughed and put the papers on the floor with her purse and smiled at Spencer. She was a beautiful woman. Spencer vowed to find her someone to love her, or at least give her a sexual distraction. Aaron never talked about her having boyfriends or even girlfriends.

"I'm going to be blunt, Jessica. Why have you never married?"

"I've never found someone that I care about enough to even attempt a relationship. For Haley, it was easy to fall in love with Aaron, and I know why. He's easy to love. He loves with his whole being, even if he is an idiot at a time. I've had lovers, but nothing that I feel will go anywhere. The ability to give me a good orgasm doesn't mean I want to live with him. Why do you ask?"

"I know of a man who loves sex but doesn't exactly want a relationship, and I know of a gentleman who is finding himself interested in sex for the first time in a long time. If you are looking for something casual and full of sex, and something that won't affect Jack."

"What exactly are you, the hookup man?"

"Sex is fun and for those who don't want a relationship, finding it can be hard."

"And how exactly are you going to give these two men to me?"

"On is here in DC the other isn't here all the time. Given what I know of him though, he's an excellent lover. Charlie adores sex with Jackson."

"You want me to have sex with Jackson?"

"It's not like I am going to tie you to the bed and leave you there. Jackson and Charlie aren't exclusive and Charlie, I know, misses breasts." Spencer kind of leaned over and looked at her from the side. "And you do have beautiful breasts."

"Spencer!" Jessica threw her napkin at him. Spencer caught it and smiled. "You are different, even from when you came back."

"I'm finding my footing. Become who I am supposed to be."

"It looks good on you. Introduce me to this Charlie, and we shall go from there."

Spencer smiled at her, happy that at least something good was coming from this all.

# Mirror World

Spencer wanted to know everything there was to know about on John Curtis. He wanted to plan and prepare carefully for the complete and utter ruination of the man. His basic search had found out that he had been an FBI agent, in the same unit that Alex had been assigned to before she was used as a scapegoat for a failed terror attack. Spencer wondered why Curtis was after Aaron, though. So far, nothing in what he found linked him to Aaron and Spencer.

Sitting in the restaurant, he had chosen Spencer was waiting for Alex. He hadn’t been able to see her much since the switch back, the fallout from Foyet and how badly he had mishandled the BAU was still being cleaned up all these months later. He was sipping his coffee when he looked up to see her making her way back towards the table.

“Spencer,” she warmly said as he stood and kissed her cheek.

“Alex.”

“I’m sorry we haven’t been able to get together much in the last few months.”

Spencer waved his hand as he sat.

“Alex, you’ve had much bigger things to deal with.”

“I have not had a chance to say how glad I am that you are back. I did like him, though. But, the two of you are so very different. Just tell me you did not screw up his life too badly.”

Spencer smiled softly as he sat back in his chair, his mind quickly going over his time in the other world.

“No. I did leave him a lot of information. I detailed as much as possible. I’m just hoping the two idiots continue the groundwork laid before them. I’d hate it if that Aaron and Spencer failed. But, unfortunately, I’ll never know.”

Alex narrowed her eyes at him and studied him for a few minutes. When the waiter came by, she ordered tea, Spencer ordered an appetizer of oysters, Ahi poke, and Shrimp a la plancha. He had chosen this particular restaurant for their seafood offerings. It was the one thing the East Coast had over Las Vegas regarding fresh food.

“What did you do?” Alex asked as she sipped at the tea that she had poured from the pot that was set before her.

“What makes you think I did anything in particular?”

“Spencer, outside of Aaron you know that I am the one that knows you almost inside and out. I can also hear what you aren’t saying. Come on, what did you do?”

Spencer chuckled as he took another sip of his coffee, giving him time to gather his thoughts. Spencer often thought that Alex was the kind of mother that he would have loved to have. As much as he loved JJ, Alex was very different.

He told her the truth, all of it knowing she couldn’t really do anything about it. Those people no longer existed or didn’t exist in his own reality. Some yes, but others not. Alex, to Spencer’s amazement, did not look shocked.

“Well, you were busy then.”

Spencer snorted as he laughed with his friend.

“I did miss you Alex. But, that isn’t why I wanted to meet for lunch. I need to know anything and everything you know about John Curtis.”

“Curtis? Wow, I have not heard that name in a long time. Not since we both got raked over for something that wasn’t our fault.”

“Yeah, it’s odd that almost the same thing happened in the other reality.”

“Erin shouldn’t have pushed you like that. She sounds almost the same. I know that she’s not in a great place. I tried, after everything went down and I stepped back, I tried to talk to her, but her guilt over how she treated John and me, she never got over it.”

“I think Curtis is the one killing people that look like Aaron and others in my family. I need everything on him, anything that you know.”

“Spencer, what are you going to do?” Alex scrutinized him as she sipped the tea and took a bite of the appetizer.

“If I tell you, Alex, you’d be obligated to tell Tony. I’m not going to put you in that position. Just, trust me.”

Alex shook her head knowing that whatever Spencer was going to do, he was going to play a long game. Alex wasn’t even sure she wanted to stop him and knew she couldn’t even if she tried.

They sat talking about other things, how the children were settling. James’ upcoming wedding, Jackson settling into the house and the media storm about the relationship and speculation. The three of them were scheduled to do an interview with Hard Core, a news program that did heavy hitting stories on network television, later in the month.

When the waiter came to take their order for their main course, Spencer was perusing the menu.

“Want to share the Linguini with clams?”

“That sounds good to me. And add a second salad.” Alex handed the menu to their waiter, then leaned forward. “I just want you to be careful, Spencer. If you are right, Curtis has gone off the rails. I knew it was bad when the FBI fired him. Finding out he was gay, it devastated him. The Bureau humiliated him. I know he and Foyet went through the academy together, and there were rumors that they were close. I just don’t know how close.”

“You think Foyet might have been using Haley as a cover for him being in a relationship with Curtis?”

“I don’t know. It’s possible.”

Spencer had some more digging to do. If this was true, it might make sense why Curtis was trying to ruin them. Even if they no longer had a relationship, Curtis might still have had feelings for Foyet. Spencer was going to get Penelope involved to try to get to the bottom of what had been going on in the Bureau when Curtis and Foyet were there.

Spencer moved away from topics involving Curtis or the Bureau. The two friends talked about their outside projects, and whatever came to mind. By the time they were done, Spencer hugged Alex and promised to keep her away from whatever he was going to do. He didn’t want her hurt in any of this.

* * *

“Penny, I have a new project for you.” Spencer grinned as he walked into Penelope’s workspace.

“Oh? And what is that my faithful genius?” The smile she gave him made Spencer smile. She was wearing a 50’s style poodle skirt, black and white Mary Janes, and a pink sweater. Her hair was in a complicated bun at the back, and the cat’s eye glasses complimented her face. This was the Penny that Spencer loved. Odd and quirky, but more subdued. She still had a bright personality, but she didn’t pry.

“John Curtis, former FBI agent. He went through the academy with Foyet. I want every single scrap of information you can find on him.”

“Well, if he was FBI, just give me a couple of hours sweet cheeks, and I’ll have whatever you want on him. Down to when he had his last prostate exam if you want.”

“Yeah, I think that part I don’t need. But everything you can find.”

“Okay, I’ll text when I got something.”

Spencer spent the rest of the afternoon with the children, playing with the baby, working on cognitive and visual games with him. Reading to Aria and helping Jack with his homework. Spencer knew he was going to need to train someone at the office to be Aaron’s part-time assistant. He wanted more time with the children, wanted to be there as they grew up. He and Aaron had already talked about it, and though the man wasn’t happy he would have to work with a new assistant, he would give in to Spencer no matter what.

When Hayden started to fall asleep, Spencer also noticed that Aria was having a hard time keeping her eyes open as well. He put both children down for a nap, then prodded Jack out of the room to let them sleep for a short while.

“Papa,” Jack bit his lip as he looked back at the nursery.

“Yes, Jack?”

“I like having a brother and sister.”

Spencer smiled as he pulled Jack to him and kissed the top of his head.

“I’m glad. Hayden and Aria are going to need a good big brother like you. When Aria gets a little older, we’ll show her the game room.”

“Oh, I kept all my old games. She can have them when you say it’s okay.”

Spencer always knew that Jack’s heart was big, but for him to take Hayden and Aria already into that big heart made Spencer proud.

“Okay, kiddo. You go finish that in your room. I have some work with Aunt Penny to do.”

“Okay.” Jack moved off to his own bedroom, and Spencer made his way to the office that Aaron had set-up for Garcia.

“Sorry I didn’t get here earlier. Was spending time with the kids.”

“OH! I forgot.” Garcia jumped out of her chair and pulled the large bag she had brought with her and pulled out a few wrapped packages. Spencer just shook his head knowing that she was going to spoil the two new additions to the Hotchner household as much as she spoiled Jack.

“I’ll open them later. I want to know what you found on Curtis.”

“Right, here is a printout of everything, but I found some seriously juicy tidbits. See, Curtis and Foyet started out together in the Bureau, along with Blake. Now you know the whole Amerithrax case and how Blake got thrown under the bus on that one. Well, what you don’t know is that Curtis also go thrown under the bus, but it wasn’t just for the Amerithrax case, oh no someone leaked it to TPTB that he was gay and that he and Foyet may have been having a little dalliance.”

“Really.”

“Yuuup. This came on the heels of Rossi’s scandal and Gideon taking over the BAU, making Foyet his little protege.”

Spencer paced, thinking. He was beginning to see why Curtis was holding a grudge, but it didn’t give him the right to terrorize his family. He needed to talk to Rossi to see what he could remember about Curtis, then he wanted to do some surveillance.

“Do you have a current address on Curtis?”

“Yes, I do my love, here you go.”

“Thank you, Garcia.” Spencer took the address and the presents. He would open them later, now he had other things to take care of.

* * *

Stalking prey and learning their routines was always oddly exciting to Spencer. Getting to know everything there was about that person, learning about them inside and out. Curtis, unlike some of his previous prey, was a more complicated creature. He didn’t have a solid routine except for his morning coffee, and his favorite sandwich shop for his dinner. Other than that, since he worked freelance, Curtis didn’t spend a lot of time at his home. Which made Spencer’s plans all that much easier.

It took about three weeks to really understand the man. Curtis' likes, places he hung out, places he only went to once, the things he likes to buy, the limited groceries he purchased. Everything was written down. The biggest surprise and the only other constant was his once-a-week trip to the cemetery where he would visit Foyet’s grave.

Spencer didn’t find it difficult to talk Aaron into another assistant. One that had been trained by him and threatened to an inch of his life to keep his hands off. Other than a couple of rocky starts, the man turned out to be very good. They set him up in the unused office, leaving Spencer’s area alone.

Since Curtis’s house was only about a half an hour from the mansion, Spencer could do most of his due diligence when the kids were napping. JJ would watch Tony’s son on occasion, and the children grew to like each other a lot, so it was easy to leave and go do his ‘errands.’

He first found ways to get in and out of the house without Curtis even knowing he was there. Spencer’s plan was evolving, changing as he got to know the man more.

The first thing he came to understand about Curtis was how OCD he was with his possessions. Spencer learned that Curtis liked to cook and was an accomplished gourmet. Wine and good whiskey were his occasional alcohol indulgences. Rare first editions, true crime novels, and working in his chemistry lab were the man’s pastimes.

Once, Spencer had found a stack of journals hidden away. They had been started in college and went through just before Foyet was killed by the other Spencer. Sitting in the comfortable reading chair, Spencer read through every journal, twice. By the time he was done, he knew the man inside and out.

His plan was taking shape, and he couldn’t wait to execute it.

* * *

Under cover of darkness and with the backdoor Spencer had programmed into Curtis’s security measures after hacking into the company, Spencer could get in and out undetected. He knew Curtis was going to be home. He started by keeping to the shadows.

“Hello?” Curtis turned around when Spencer had deliberately moved quickly from one shadowy corner to another. “Is someone there?” Controlling his breathing was second nature to Spencer as Curtis looked around the room, frowning. “Get a hold of yourself, John.” The man chuckled and shook his head, then headed downstairs to his lab. Spencer followed, there was one place he had not been able to crack, and that was a door at the other end of Curtis’s lab. Spencer kept to the wall and followed as silently as he could. Spencer watched as Curtis opened the door and stepped through. Spencer was curious, but he didn’t want to push his luck just yet.

As quietly as he could, he made his way back up the stairs and went to Curtis’ bedroom. There he hid in the closet waiting for the man to come back up. Curtis got ready for bed, and Spencer slipped out of the closet when he heard the even, measured breathing. Smiling to himself he looked around the room a moment then set about rearranging some of the smaller things. Then, before leaving he bent down near Curtis’ ear.

“I miss you,” Spencer whispered in a near imitation of Foyet. He was backing out the door as Curtis bolted awake and looked around the room, a hand on his heart.

“What the fuck?” Curtis exclaimed, and that was the last Spencer heard that night.

The next day, Spencer came back with small cameras and listening devices and installed them all around the house. When Aaron and Jackson had gone to bed, Spencer went to his secret room and watched the footage of Curtis freaking out about the things in his bedroom being moved around again. Spencer smiled to himself as he watched.

“Let the games begin.”

# Our World

Spencer placed the last of his files on the top of the stack. The pile in his outbox was close to becoming a disaster, but he didn't care. The amount of work that had piled up on his desk during a three-day absence had been astounding. Morgan had tried to sanction Spencer for what had happened the week before, but it hadn't gone the way that he had wanted. It had been taken directly to Rossi and Aaron's boss who had looked over exactly what had happened and told Morgan to stop pushing his paperwork onto someone else. Then a custodial had popped up in Washington state, and Morgan had delighted in sending Spencer on it. It had lasted until late Friday night, and now it was Saturday, and Spencer had been ordered to go into the office to work on his paperwork that had piled up as Morgan needed it Monday.

The clock read just after two when Spencer looked at it.

"You look worn out," Aaron said as he leaned in the doorway of Spencer's part of their office suite.

"I am."

"Well, I'm here to take you home."

"But my car."

"Dave dropped me off. He and the Commandant of the base have a meeting today to discuss bourbon and cigars. You came in way too early after getting home way too late."

"I didn't want to be here all day, and Grace texted me the picture of work that Morgan had left for me."

"Did you do it all?"

"No. Just what he said he needed. Five files are not mine, but Prentiss's and I won't do them, even if Morgan assigned them because its cases I've stayed here for and done consults. I can't finish her reports for her. I don't know if he is trying to trap me or just get me in trouble. I don't understand any of what he is doing."

"The brass is keeping an eye on him. Dave's been watching him a lot closer as well." Aaron pushed off of the door jamb and moved into the office. He leaned over Spencer and shut down his computer before hauling him out of his seat. "I have plans. Jack is spending the night at Jake's place."

"He's the one two floors down right?"

"Yes."

Spencer allowed himself to be dressed in the light coat he had worn and his messenger bag before being escorted from his office. The B Team was in the bullpen, just getting back from a case in Texas if Spencer remembered correctly. None of them even paid any attention to them. When the elevator doors opened Spencer pushed himself into the corner. He was more mentally tired tan physically, but it was affecting his want to do anything. Aaron Pressed the button that took them to the ground floor and moved to the other back corner to watch Spencer.

"So what are these plans?"

"A simple dinner at home. I've made finger foods. I found a good recipe for a fresh berry sangria. White wine, champagne, and peach juice, with strawberries, grapes, and blackberries. We can eat those when we are done with the meal, after dessert."

"You cooked?" Spencer asked. Aaron had pulled up the car to the waiting area, one of the security guards was waiting beside it. Aaron thanked him with a nod and moved around to open the passenger side door. Spencer slipped up to the door. He pressed a kiss to Aaron's cheek as he sat down in the seat. He settled down into the seat, feeling worn out. As soon as Aaron got into the driver's seat, Spencer reached over and linked their hands. Aaron chuckled and started the car with their joined hands. He closed his eyes as Aaron put the car in drive and started out of the parking garage.

"I like to cook when I have the time. I've actually found more time for it since taking over as Section Chief. Dave gave me a few recipe books that he likes. I found an excellent variety for dinner tonight."

"What prompted this?"

"We've both been working a lot, but I realized that I haven't actually taken you out on a date. Now out is a relative term but with your hectic rush around life right now, getting used to doing what you are doing, out isn't the kind of date you want."

"Sounds good." Spencer laid his head back on the headrest of the seat.

The feel of Aaron's hands in his, the warmth of it, the security of it. It had Spencer feeling good. He didn't come out of it until the car was put in park. Spencer looked at Aaron through half-lidded eyes. The older man was watching him with a smile on his face.

"You weren't asleep."

"No. I was kind of floating. Calming down and de-stressing."

"Let's head up." Aaron raised their joined hands and bussed a kiss on the back of spencer's hand.

Spencer felt happy as they moved towards the elevator. Aaron settled in behind him in the car. Aaron's heat along his body was nice. Spencer figured that if they settled in bed, he'd be asleep in no time.

Just as the elevator stopped on their floor, the lit up number telling Spencer it was the right one. Aaron reached around him and pressed the stop button. Before Spencer could turn around, he saw a strip of fabric.

"I want you to put yourself in my hands. Do you think that you can do that?"

"Yes."

"Good." Aaron raised up the fabric and laid it over Spencer's eyes. It was tied tightly over his eyes. His bag was taken from his shoulder, and he was escorted out of the elevator car. He didn't stumble, but he took careful steps, not trusting that he wouldn't fall. When a hand stopped him, Spencer listened as the sound of a key in the lock echoed around. Aaron opened the door, and when Spencer heard the soft thump of the door on the door stop, he signaled for Spencer to start forward. When he knew he was clear of the door, he stopped. Spencer clenched and unclenched his hand, trying to calm down. When he was sitting down and knew where he was, he would be happier.

The apartment smelled wonderful. Spencer could smell the complex aromas of spices. His mouth was watering. Spencer could hear the door being shut and the alarm sounding off. Spencer felt hands on his shoulder, pulling the jacket off of him. He helped by shaking his arms a little bit to free his arms. Next, Aaron moved around to in front of him and kissed him. Spencer hesitated on touching back. When the kiss was finished, Aaron work on the buttons of his vest before divesting him of it and his suit jacket. His dress shirt was untucked but otherwise left alone.

Spencer followed the hands that directed him to the chair in the living room. He could smell something sweet but alcoholic at the same time as he was pushed into the seat. Aaron worked on his shoes and socks next. Spencer felt cherished at that moment. There wasn't any rush to anything. As Aaron leaned up for a kiss, he grabbed Spencer's hands and placed them on his hips. Spencer curled his fingers around cloth, skin, and bone, holding tight. Aaron kissed him like it was the only thing that he wanted to be doing.

As Aaron kept kissing him, Spencer expected arousal to flood his body, but it didn't. Aaron's only points of contact were on Spencer's face, his hands holding his cheeks and their lips pressed together.

"Are you hungry?" Aaron asked after he pulled back from the kiss.

"Yes."

"Good. Shrimp fritters are first. I just need to go and get them. Stay." Aaron pressed on Spencer's thighs.

"Yes, Sir." Spencer stayed where Aaron wanted him to, but he hoped that he wasn't going to be stuck in the chair the whole time. With him blindfolded, it was a perfect time for Aaron to hold him in his lap. Spencer wanted to ask, but he was afraid that it would spoil what Aaron had planned. Instead, he just sat there and listened to the man move around in the kitchen.

"If you are thirsty, the glass is to your left," Aaron called out.

Spencer carefully probed with his left hand. He found the table that was to his left, but it was a lot lower than the stand that was normally by the chair. Instead, it seemed like it was the coffee table. Spencer found the stem of the glass and lifted it up. He sniffed at the contents and found it the fruity thing he had been smelling. Spencer took a careful sip and frowned when something bumped the top of his lip.

"Frozen grapes instead of ice cubes," Aaron said, his voice a lot closer than Spencer expected. The sound of a tray being set down was loud in the silence that followed Aaron's voice. Spencer heard the older man sitting down on the floor in front of the chair, and he waited. "Slide down into my lap, spencer."

Spencer did as he asked, setting the glass down on the table and then moving to the edge of his seat. He found Aaron was scooted back from the chair some and he had to use Aaron's shoulders to balance him while he sat down. Once Spencer was settled, Aaron wrapped Spencer's legs around his waist and let Spencer relax back into the chair.

"Ready? If so open your mouth."

Spencer opened his mouth and waited. Something popped into his mouth, and when he felt a hand brush his cheek, he closed his mouth. It had a crunch on the outside, and it was soft and delicious on the inside. He could taste shrimp.

"Sip," Aaron said when Spencer was done chewing. He took a drink of the sangria when the glass was pressed to his lips. Settling into Aaron's lap more, Spencer opened his mouth for another bite. Aaron fed him another bite of fritter. "Hands behind your back."

Spencer moved his hands behind his back, clasping them together. Aaron tipped him back just a little, pressing him into the chair cushion a bit more.

"One more," Aaron said. He just touched the edge of the fritter to Spencer's mouth before he opened it. Spencer took his time chewing it. Savoring it. "Do you like them?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. I didn't make a lot of each thing just in case you didn't like it. Next up is ground pork stuffed Piquillo peppers with a garlic pepper sauce."

"You know that if you keep this up, I'll start expecting home cooked meals more often," Spencer said. He felt the glass at his lips again and took another sip. The sangria was good. Spencer felt something else at his lips and opened his mouth. It wasn't a stuffed pepper. Aaron chased the taste of sangria in Spencer's mouth. It was more erotic than the last kiss.

Spencer lost track of time as the meal progressed. After the stuffed peppers were muscles in a sauce of white wine, garlic, and butter. Next was a ceviche made from halibut, sea bass, and salmon with tortilla chips that Aaron made. As well as avocado slices. Each little course was followed by a make out session that left Spencer breathless and half hard by the end. He would calm down as Aaron fed him and gave him sips of sangria.

"Do you want a break or another course?" Aaron asked when he was done stealing Spencer's breath.

"Another."

"Hungry for food or what comes after?"

"What does come after?" Spencer didn't mind much what came after. He was up for anything.

"Sex. I've not decided exactly what yet. Depends on how worked up you have me."

"You are the one that wanted me in your lap."

"That's not what I am talking about. Your face. You are enjoying the food, and it shows on your face. It's what I'm talking about." Aaron leaned away a little and then was back. "Gulf shrimp marinated in garlic olive oil."

Spencer opened his mouth, and the shrimp was popped into his mouth. He could feel that there was something wrapped around the shrimp.

"Parma ham," Aaron said before Spencer could ask. Spencer hummed happily with the taste combination was wonderful. There were four of those before Aaron kissed him again. Aaron settled his hands on Spencer's hips, grinding Spencer down onto him. Spencer grasped his hands tighter on themselves. He wanted to touch.

"Aaron, please," Spencer begged when his lover pulled back. Spencer was more than half hard. He was aching when Aaron nipped at his lips. Spencer tried to thrust against Aaron, but the man had a hold of his hips and stopped him.

"We aren't done eating yet, Spencer. One more course before dessert."

"I'm not hungry anymore."

"You've not been eating well enough lately, Spencer. A clean plate or no reward." Aaron's hand lifted off of Spencer's hip and brushed over his confined cock. Spencer moaned loudly, not able to keep it in.

"Please," Spencer begged again.

"Open."

Spencer did as Aaron asked and felt something that had a little weight to it slipping into his mouth. He started to chew quickly.

"Slow down, Spencer. If you choke, we can't do what you want."

Spencer slowed down on the chewing, taking the time to actually taste the food. He couldn't place it all. There was egg inside of it and potatoes.

"What is it?"

"Spanish style potato omelets. Individual ones. Do you like them?"

"Yes, Sir."

"You are so good for me." Aaron's hand rubbed at Spencer's cock again. Spencer gasped and tried to thrust up into that hand. Aaron's other hand grabbed his hip hard enough to stop him. Holding Spencer down on his lap to where he couldn't press up into Aaron's hand.

Spencer took the next two omelets with no issues, chewing just enough to not choke. He moved his face in closer to Aaron, moaning when Aaron claimed his mouth in a fierce kiss. Spencer submitted to the kiss, letting Aaron set the pace and he just held on for the ride.

Aaron shifted Spencer around a little and lifted him. Spencer couldn't see what Aaron was doing, but he was set down on the floor with Aaron between his spread legs. Aaron pulled him downward a little farther, and Spencer laid his head back on the couch cushion supporting his upper body. Spencer grabbed the carpet with his fingers as Aaron ran his hands up Spencer's thighs and gripped the back of knees, pressing his legs up and pinning them to his chest.

"Open," Aaron said. One of his hands disappeared, and then Spencer opened his mouth. The coldness of the spoon shocked Spencer a little, but when he felt the transition of the spoon on his lips, he closed them. As soon as Aaron started to pull the spoon out, Spencer could taste the pannacotta on it. It was one of his favorite desserts. Spencer let it rest on his tongue for a few seconds before he smashed it and swallowed.

"More, please, sir."

"I thought you might say that." Aaron chuckled and Spencer opened his mouth. Spencer could tell that Aaron was letting him have more of the dessert than he was eating himself. Spencer wasn't going to complain. The clink of the spoon on the table told Spencer that dessert was over. The glass was pressed to his lips, and he drank. Aaron held it there for longer, letting Spencer drain all of the sangria in the glass. Aaron pulled the glass away, and Spencer could feel the low thrum of the alcohol in his veins. It wasn't enough to make him do anything stupid or to not be able to give consent, but it was sufficient to give him a slight buzz.

"What now?" Spencer asked when he heard the glass get set back down again.

"You are going to strip the rest of the way but leave the blindfold on."

Aaron helped Spencer stand up and let go of him. Spencer couldn't hear where Aaron went, but he worked on stripping himself. First was his shirt followed by his pants and underwear. When he was done he linked his hands behind his back and waited.

Spencer didn't react when he felt nails on the small of his back. Aaron raked them up his back before grabbing his hair. Spencer felt his entire body start to relax as Aaron pulled down on his hair. Spencer dropped to his knees, feeling no twinge at all in his injured one. He opened his mouth as soon as he was settled on his knees. Aaron's cock slipped between his lips, and he moaned at the taste of Aaron on his tongue. Aaron was already leaking, heavily. Spencer felt himself leaking, he could feel his release leaving a trail down his cock. He had missed being on his knees and sucking Aaron's cock.

Long before Spencer was ready, Aaron pulled him off of his cock. A pit started to form in Spencer's stomach, he didn't know what from. He just wanted to suck Aaron's cock. Spencer could hear Aaron moving around, and then hands were pulling him up but the hands weren't in front, and the hands weren't pulling him to stand up. He moved backward and up, to sit in Aaron's lap in the chair. He could feel the man's hard cock pressing into his ass cheeks. He had his hands behind his back because he hadn't been told what he was to do with them.

"Grab the arms of the chair," Aaron whispered hotly in Spencer's ear. Spencer did as he asked, gripping the arms tight. He half expected to be told to lift up and be settled on Aaron's cock, but instead, Aaron just pulled him back a little, making Spencer's ass rub along his cock. Aaron set up a rhythm that was easy to figure out and follow. Once Spencer had his feet planted enough to be able to move on his own, Aaron's hands started to wander. There wasn't an inch of skin anywhere on his body that Aaron could reach that the older man didn't touch, except Spencer's cock.

Aaron raked his fingers across Spencer's belly, nails digging in just enough to be felt but not enough to even make the skin red.

"Harder, please, Sir," Spencer begged. Aaron grunted in his ear then he was holding Spencer tight, keeping him still as he pressed his cock harder into Spencer's ass. Spencer shook his head. "No, please-"

"Shh," Aaron whispered in his ear. Spencer opened his mouth again to get Aaron to understand him, but he felt a hard thrust and then warmth along his backside. Aaron's hand moved to his cock and started to pump him. "Come."

Spencer's body and mind couldn't deny the demand so he tipped over that edge, slumping down into Aaron, hoping the man would hold him up. Aaron held him close, pressing their bodies together while they both calmed down from orgasm. Aaron sat up a little more in the chair after a few minutes.

"I love you," Aaron said before he placed a kiss on the side of Spencer's neck.

"I love you, too." The blindfold was removed from his eyes, and Spencer blinked into the lowly lit room. The coffee table was moved over to beside the chair. There were trays scattered on it as well as a pitcher which had the fruit from the sangria in it. Spencer was looking forward to eating it.

When Aaron started to stand, Spencer pushed with his legs, making sure he was sound to walk by himself. Their clothes were scattered, but Aaron just pushed Spencer towards the bedroom.

"Do you want to shower?"

"Sure." Spencer turned into the bathroom and stepped right into the shower, pulling the curtain. He turned the water on and stepped back to where he wasn't under the spray. When it was warm, Spencer Started to wash himself off. It was way too early for bed, but Spencer felt like he could take a nap. The hot water did nothing to help with the ache inside of him. He didn't know what it as was or how to help it. It had been growing inside of him for a while. It wasn't actually physical ache but an emotional one.

Spencer watched the soap foam circle the drain before going down it. He and Aaron were doing a lot better. They weren't treating each other like their counterparts anymore, but there was still something missing, something off. Spencer wanted to find out what it was.

"I thought we could watch a movie or two and relax on the couch," Aaron said, startling Spencer out of his thoughts.

"Sounds good to me," Spencer called out.

"I'll go and get everything cleaned up and the movie's setup."

"Okay." Spencer finished washing the soap off of his body and turned off the water. When he stepped out of the shower, Spencer saw that Aaron had set out sleep clothes for him to change into. Spencer made sure that he was totally dry before he slipped into them. He still had the routine of making sure that his hair was dry from the other world. Looking at himself in the mirror, Spencer looked at his hair. He had got used to wearing it longer, but he hadn't even thought about changing it when he got back.

The hairstylist that the other Spencer had started to use was open on Sundays. Spencer thought about going and getting the style that the other him had used at first in this world. There had been pictures of it in the folders, and Spencer had saved them before he destroyed the only links to the fact that he had been in another world.

Rebellion, Spencer's mind whispered at him. He had never even thought about doing that after he had seen the full breadth of what the other Aaron was. Spencer had done his small ones, the ones he knew that he could get away with. But with this Aaron, he didn't know how he was going to react, and there was a part of him that didn't care.

# Mirror World

Spencer was having too much fun. Every day he would find some time to enter Curtis’s house and do something subtle, or obvious. It depended on his mood. He looked around the kitchen and smiled. Starting with one cupboard, Spencer moved everything around. He knew from observing him for the last couple of weeks that Curtis liked things a certain way.

“Your OCD is going to be your downfall,” Spencer spoke to no one because no one was there. After an hour of rearranging things, Spencer left knowing Curtis was due back at any moment. He slipped out of the house and made his way back home. Spencer wanted to be there when the man stepped into his kitchen to cook something.

The payoff so far had been that the murders had stopped. Curtis was trying to figure out what was happening in his house, obsessing over it and it made Spencer feel more in control of the situation.

Sitting down at his computer in his secret room, Spencer waited. He had a book in his hand that he had wanted to read, waiting for Curtis was the perfect time to do it. Spencer didn’t have to wait long before the man in question came home.

Curtis put his things down then made his way into the kitchen. When he opened a cupboard, Spencer was almost laughing at the confused look on the man's face.

“What the hell?” Curtis searched his house but found no one there. Spencer knew what was going to happen next. Curtis called 911. Spencer was going to have Garcia get the transcript of what happened on the call because he knew they were already pegging him as a crazy idiot.

“Look, I’m not fucking crazy. Someone has been in my house,” Curtis yelled into the phone. Spencer couldn’t hear the operator on the other end of the line and as he watched he made a plan to bug Curtis’s phone so he could hear the whole conversation.

“I’m not crazy. You get someone out here now.” There was a pause, and Spencer could almost make out a vein popping out on the man’s forehead. “FINE, you can all go to hell.” Curtis slammed the phone down and stormed off.

Spencer sat back in the chair enjoying the show. He only stopped when the alarm went off on his phone. He was only allowing himself so much time watching Curtis. Everything was recording and automatically backing up on a new hard drive that was set-up just for this purpose. He could go back at any time and savor the slow breakdown of the man. He was determined that by the time he was done, Curtis would either kill himself or end up locked up in an institution.

Standing up, Spencer left his room and went to get ready for the evening ahead.

* * *

Strolling through the club, Spencer knew exactly what he looked like. It didn’t hurt that two of the most powerful and sexy men in the world was in front of him holding his leashes. It also didn’t hurt that he was still riding on a high of the mini freak out that Curtis had that day over having some of his prized first editions moved and were scattered around his living room. Spencer had opened a few and left them on his coffee table, exposing them to the elements. He had been conflicted about that one, he had not wanted the books to suffer, but seeing Curtis lose it was worth it.

Spencer slipped his thumbs into the tight pants he was wearing and had a relaxed gait that just oozed sex. Tonight he wore the leather harness and a pair of tight purple leather lace-up pants. The straps of the harness barely covered anything on his chest, his scars on full display. He wore new boots that Jackson had recently bought him. Thigh high that zipped up the back. As a reward to himself, he had finally gotten his ears pierced, something he had wanted for a long time. His hair had grown almost all the way back, and using just a little styling product made his curls a little wilder. He used some mascara and a little eyeliner. Something he only rarely did, but he and Aaron had found quite by accident Jackson’s kink for it.

When Spencer had come out of the bathroom, both his Dom’s were standing there in new tailored suits, looking so very fuckable. The only thing keeping him from getting hard was the silicone cock cage Aaron had put on him earlier as they had started to get ready.

“Do we really want to take him out looking like this, Aaron?” Jackson asked as he moved closer to Spencer, pulling a box out of his inside pocket and handing it to Spencer.

“You and I both know he loves the attention. Don’t you, Pet.” Aaron walked around Spencer, lightly touching the exposed skin, his scars fully on display.

“Oh, I know. Open it, Spencer.”

Spencer hadn’t said a word, he just smiled. He liked knowing the reaction he got from his lovers. Spencer opened the box to find a new set of jewelry. He took the ones for his nipples out first. They had a bit of weight to them, and Spencer almost moaned at the anticipation of having them put on him. They dangled with three spheres, each a little bigger than the one above it. The spheres were made of a purple stone that Spencer didn’t know.

“What are these stones?” Spencer was fascinated by the way stars appeared in the stones when the light hit them.

“They are called Star Spinels. These are rare in that they are a matching set. Very difficult to achieve. It took my jeweler several months to find ones that matched perfectly,” Jackson said as he took them and replaced the nipple rings he was wearing. “All five pieces are a matched set.”

The ring for his belly button was a half hoop with a ball bearing at the end, and five perfect Star Spinels were threaded on it. Last was the earrings. They were studs with a chain and an ear cuff in a polished platinum. The whole set was gorgeous, and Spencer loved them.

‘They’re beautiful. Thank you Dominae.” Spencer smiled as he put the earrings in while Jackson replaced his belly ring. Aaron then pulled out two thick chains of steel and clipped them one on each ring of his collar.

“You deserve to always be draped in leather and jewels, Petite Chou.” Jackson pulled him close and kissed him hard. When they broke apart, Spencer was practically vibrating with anticipation.

“Your belt is new, Aaron.”

“Yes.We had several made. Jackson saw them in a catalog, but wanted them in better quality leather.”

“I don’t understand.” Spencer furrowed his brow as he looked at the belt. Jackson smiled as he took his off and demonstrated how the belt could be made into cuffs very quickly.

“They’re called Hobble belts. Just know we could use them at any time we want.” Aaron was still standing behind Spencer when he wrapped an arm around his waist. Lips close to Spencer’s ear made him shiver a little as Aaron whispered. “I think you just knowing we had them will get you hard. I think all I have to do is make you aware I’m wearing one and it’ll get you excited. Just imagine Pet. In the office, I can slip it off, cuff you to your chair and suck you till you want to scream. There you are all tied down and can’t get away.”

Spencer felt himself try to get hard, but the cage prevented that. Closing his eyes, he had laid his head back against Aaron’s to try to calm himself down.

“Oh, Love, do stop teasing him.” Jackson leered as he took the few steps to sandwich Spencer between him and Aaron. “I bet he is so aroused that if I touch him right now, he would almost cum without permission. And we can’t have that, now can we Petite Chou.”

Jackson’s hands slid up the exposed flesh of Spencer’s stomach. The hands just barely touching, setting every nerve in Spencer on fire. Spencer let out an unmanly whine as his knees almost buckled, but Aaron was still holding him up. He knew what the two men were doing, playing with him, creating new sensations of a different kind of pain. The kind that came from being so aroused and sensitive, that any little touch was a kind of pain. Spencer reveled. Lips touched his in a kiss so gentle it made him seek out more, but Jackson wasn’t having it.

Spencer cried out against Jackson’s lips as Aaron’s teeth scraped against his neck. The twin sensations short-circuiting his brain, then they were pulling away, leaving him needy and wanting.

“I think it’s time to go.” Aaron made sure Spencer could stand before he moved away. “Look at you. Lips swollen, body trembling and on display. You are sex walking, you know that?”

“Y..yes, Sir.” Spencer could barely speak, and as much as he wanted his lovers to fuck him at that moment, he also wanted to go out.

“Good. Now come along like a good boy.” Aaron took up the handle of one leash, while Jackson took the other. The three of them were looking forward to the evening.

Spencer shook out of the memories as they continued on their stroll through the club.

* * *

Spencer learned his prey’s routine. Now he wanted to know where the man actually went. He scheduled the stalking around the times that Curtis actually left his house. Spencer made sure the kids had something to do, and JJ helped by watching Hayden. Spencer thought about an Au Pair, or a nanny for the days that he couldn’t be at the house. Spencer would have to discuss it with Aaron. Jack had an Au Pair till he was able to go to school. It worked out well, and she had been discreet. The agency that they had hired her from was still around, and after his excursion out, he was going to call and make an appointment.

Curtis stopped first at a coffee shop, one that Spencer frequented himself. He stayed hidden, his Sensei would be proud that Spencer had kept up with his training. Staying in the shadows, blending in when following a mark. He would let Curtis get small glimpses of him. Just enough that it would make Curtis second guess himself. Spencer stepped into the shop and ordered a cup of coffee, then sat just on the outside of Curtis’ line of sight. He pulled out a book and split his attention between book and Curtis.

After about an hour, Curtis stood and left the coffee shop. Next, he went window shopping, not actually stopping in anywhere, just looking. The comic shop was a surprise, what wasn’t a surprise was the types of comics that he gravitated to. Independent comic companies that leaned towards violence, murder, and violation of women. Spencer already knew that Curtis hated women. When he had Garcia dig, the man had a very thick file of complaints and reprimands about his behavior towards the female agents.

Spencer walked in, he knew there were a few titles that Jack was reading, it gave Spencer an excuse to pick up some of the newest issues. He was in and out quickly. When Curtis left, he continued on and made his way to the small library. Spencer followed him in a few minutes later. Spencer just watched the man. He wasn’t all that interested in what he was looking up, at least not at the moment. Spencer did what he needed to do. Satisfied, he went back home and input all of the data he had collected on his computer. As he was finishing up, his cell rang.

“Reid.”

“Oh, my wonderful and brilliant friend I have something you need to see.”

“I’ll meet you in a moment.” Spencer stopped watching the footage from the day and closed up his computer. He quickly made his way to where Penelope was working then sat next to her.

“What is it, Penny?”

“Oh, this is good!! Just watch, and don’t say a thing till it’s done.” The footage was older. Looked like it had once been transferred from an old Beta tape. Penny pressed play on her laptop, and what Spencer saw shocked even him. It was an amateur porn. He figured it was something that wasn’t supposed to have been out there, but it was. It starred Curtis with Foyet. Spencer had a hard time watching it, even he was uncomfortable with the scene being played out in front of him. When they were done, that was when it changed. Spencer saw them leave the bedroom, then a few minutes later a young girl was with them, and that was when Spencer could no longer look.

“Where the hell did you find this?”

“Oh, I went deep into a TOR browser. Like really dark and deep my love. I don’t know how it got out on there, but it’s authentic.”

“I take it you did an image search on the girl's face?”

“I did. I had to use some software that extrapolates what the person would look like as they age. Here, her name is Annie Watson, and here is her current address.”

Spencer took note of the address and saw that she was living in New York. Spencer’s Sensei was going to be in New York in just a few weeks. He had received an invitation to come up and meet him for however long he wanted to. There was something he had wanted to discuss with Spencer. He would make plans to go and to go meet the woman who had been hurt by Curtis and Foyet at such a young age. This could work very much in his favor.

“Thank you, Penny. This is perfect. Can you copy it to a thumb drive for me?”

“Sure, butter crumb. I’ll get it copied and leave it in that little box outside your office.”

Spencer stood and kissed the top of Penelope’s head. He was never more glad to be home than he was now. His Penelope he had missed so very much.

Later that night, after dinner and time spent with Aaron and Jackson, then making sure the kids got to bed, Spencer said that he wanted to go for a run. It wasn’t an unusual request, he had been running at night a lot more since his return. Spencer found that he liked the quiet cool of the evening. Aaron never tried to stop him, which made things very easy for what he had planned.

Packing a bag, Spencer took his car and parked several blocks away from Curtis’ house. Taking the bag, he strapped it to his back, then he used the run towards the park that was situated about a mile from Curtis as his excuse to be in the neighborhood. Spencer did the mile, ran through a path in the park, then came back around and disappeared behind Curtis’ house. Spencer went to his hiding spot, took out the laptop he had with him and looked at the current footage of Curtis. The man was in his living room reading. Spencer got into the house the same way he had before and silently moved made his way around the house. Spencer had the layout in his head as well as what was in each room. Deciding on a bold action, Spencer took a few things and stuffed them into his pack. When he heard Curtis getting up, Spencer shadowed him, making the man look around to see if someone was there. They played this game of cat and mouse as Spencer followed him around, keeping to the shadows. Finally, he got tired of the game and left. Spencer looked forward to the morning when he could watch what happened when Curtis figured out some of his things were missing.

* * *

The slow and deliberate campaign to drive Curtis insane fuelled Spencer’s for weeks. One day he papered the man’s bedroom with pictures of the young girl that he had helped Foyet to violate. The footage of that had been priceless, and Spencer laughed at the man’s reaction.

Spencer moved more things around in the house, making Curtis doubt himself that he had put them up in the first place. There were nights, Spencer would steal into Curtis’ bedroom and whisper things in the man’s ear, doing a close imitation of Foyet. Those nights, the man would curl up on his bed and give into the grief that still plagued him.

Spencer ramped up his campaign against Curtis, and as long as he kept them man off kilter, he wasn’t out there killing anyone. He knew that Curtis would confront Aaron soon, and he would bask in the knowledge that Aaron was completely in the dark over what he was doing. It needed to be this way, Aaron needed to stay ignorant for a little while longer. It would make his reactions to Curtis very real and help push the man even that much closer to Spencer’s end goal. This long con he was playing with Curtis was what Spencer wished he could have done with Strauss, but he had let his emotions get to him in that other world. And while it was satisfying to him to make her suffer, he did have some guilt over her children. Spencer had made a vow to his Sensei to never harm a child. Spencer worried what he was going to say to Master Gao if he was going to admit what he had done or not.

Work went on like normal. They had some high profile cases that Aaron was very much on the top of his game with. They made splashes in the media, especially when they were seen with Jackson. Invitations to gala events, private parties, and important media events were all normal in their world. Spencer just kept on like nothing was happening. He knew, though, that Aaron was getting suspicious about what Spencer’s pet project was. But, for now, he was letting Spencer go on a very long leash. If Aaron told him to stop, he would be disappointed, but he would. Always anything for Aaron.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

# Mirror World

Spencer always enjoyed New York. There was so much to see and do, his favorites being the museums and art galleries, seeing a play or musical on opening night, a trip to the opera and the food. The variety of restaurants always made Spencer a little giddy. When finding a new place that impressed Spencer’s broad palate, he would seek out the chef and talk with him, sometimes for hours after the restaurant closed. Very few ever refused the lover of Aaron Hotchner, and if entertaining the man for a few hours about the food they loved to cook, then it wasn’t such a hardship. Spencer had even seduced recipes out of many a chef over the years. Both men and women were not immune to his charms, and Spencer could certainly pour it on.

The new restaurant Beaujolais wasn’t very far from the hotel that Aaron and Jackson owned a suite at the Gramercy Park Hotel. It was one of Spencer’s favorites of all the places that they maintained. It was old world luxury, with modern conveniences. They had a new personal chef, and Spencer was already impressed by him. The rosemary and bacon waffles with candied orange syrup had been impressive on their first morning there. As had the roasted tenderloin with a side of colored baby carrots, fennel, and ramps. The chef was unusual in that he was a forager. He had learned how to find and pick the wild roots, mushrooms, and vegetables that grew in the vast area of Central Park. Though it had become a fad over the years, everyone involved in foraging made sure that no one took more than their fair share, leaving enough for others as well as making sure more grew naturally and organically. The food bordered on orgasmic. The chef would fill out his shopping by visiting the different local farmer’s markets. He tried to avoid the big box markets and was working on a rooftop garden of his own where he rented his apartment.

Aaron was so impressed by the young man that he helped to pay for the rest of the endeavor to create and nurture the garden. The food they had was delicious, and every bit as luxurious as one would expect when on vacation.

“Spencer, when do you meet Master Gao?” Aaron asked between bites of wild berry pancakes with a fresh lavender honey syrup, handmade wild boar sausage, and fingerling potatoes that had been cooked in duck fat. Spencer was in gastronomic heaven.

“We’re set to meet for lunch at Kura tomorrow. Then he wants to talk to me about something. I’m not sure what it is, so I’ll either stay with him the night or take a cab back here.”

“If you want to stay a couple of days with him, Spencer, you know you can. I know what Gao means to you.” Aaron smiled as he took a bit of the boar sausage. The look on Aaron’s face had Spencer thinking he may have to charm some recipes out of their new chef.

Spencer was quiet as he thought about his Master. The few months he had spent in Japan, learning his craft, and the times over the years he had gone just to visit, Spencer had found in Gao that father figure that had always been missing in his life. The man loved him like a son and indulged him often when he went for sometimes a couple of weeks at a time to see him, or he came to the States and wanted Spencer by his side. They often wrote long letters to each other, Gao understood the lost art of writing, and Spencer kept every single one. They were a work of art on their own. The kanji he wrote in was beautiful and had Gao’s own flair to it.

“Thank you, Sir.” Spencer worked on finishing his meal, they had plans to visit the Museum of Modern Art, and Spencer looked forward to it.

Jackson had been quiet, and Spencer wasn’t sure why. The man loved New York even more than Aaron did. Half of his business endeavors were in New York, and he had two places of residence. Usually, the man was enthusiastic and talked, not non-stop, but there had been times that he would go on a Spencer level ramble about all the new things that they could do. Spencer worried about it a little, then Aaron was sent on an errand for Jackson.

“Come here Petite, and kneel.” Jackson walked into the living room and pulled out the sub bench that fit under the couch. Spencer could admit that he was a little nervous. Jackson was not acting like Jackson at all. He stood and walked over to the sub bench and knelt down on it, taking a submissive pose almost automatically.

Spencer felt Jackson’s eyes on him the whole time.

“I want you to tell me right now what it is you are really doing when you disappear at night, and when you retire to your hidden rooms at home.”

Spencer sucked in a breath but forced himself not to look up shocked at Jackson.

“Spencer! I want answers. Are you doing something that could hurt Aaron? And, yes before you ask I figured out your hidden rooms a long time ago. Who do you think he got the idea from?” Jackson glared at him as he leaned forward, arms on his knees. “We talked for hours while in college about the perfect hidden rooms. We even had an architect acquaintance that we would...well we played with him off and on in college. Don’t look hurt, Aaron had a sex life before he met you.”

Spencer knew that, but when past lovers or play partners were brought up, it made Spencer a little jealous. Even though it was Aaron’s past, Spencer couldn’t help the possessiveness he felt when it came to Aaron.

“I found out who it is that keeps killing the surrogates of us. I have to stop him, Dominae. I have to protect my family.”

“Tell me everything, from the beginning.”

Spencer looked up and could see that Jackson meant business. Spencer knew he could lie, but Jackson was almost as good as Aaron at detecting the lies he told. Jackson would know if Spencer was lying. He decided it wasn’t worth punishment to lie to Jackson. It all came spilling out.

“I want to help you.” Jackson smiled a sharklike smile that gave Spencer pause. He knew Jackson wasn’t as squeaky clean as Aaron sometimes like to think he was. Spencer often knew people better than Aaron did, and he knew Jackson. “I also want to see some of the footage you have of Curtis.” Jackson stood and paced. “I want to see how far you pushed him and I’ll help you, Spencer. I want this man as badly as you do.”

“Dominae, you don’t have to.”

“I know. And I know you usually do all of Aaron’s dirty little deeds. But this bastard is coming after our family. I want in, and I want no argument.”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer was secretly giddy. He always enjoyed it when he worked on a side ‘project’ with Aaron, but since getting back to his own reality, Spencer worked them alone. With the additional cases that came in as well as adding onto their family, they had no time. Spencer was able to eek out time for Curtis because he found easy work around's. Spencer was now very interested in what it would be like to work with Jackson.

“Now, when Aaron gets back, we have time to play. We aren’t due to the private exhibit until 1 p.m.” Jackson clipped a chain to Spencer’s collar. This one was thicker and heavier than he was used to. It split into two shorter chains at the bottom that had cuffs that could be clipped to them. “Stand, and strip for me,” Jackson ordered.

Spencer stood and stripped out of his sleep clothes, all of them had stayed in their pajamas for breakfast. After attaching the cuffs and linking Spencer’s wrists together, that was positioned behind his head, Jackson sat back down on the couch, pushed his sleep pants down far enough to take his cock out and begin to stroke it.

“Fuck, Spencer. Look at you, long, lean muscles, pale skin, a cock that I don’t think I will ever get tired of. You waiting to be told what to do. Maybe we should tie you up and not touch you, see if you’ll cum just from you watching. I know you like to watch, Spencer. Do you want to see Aaron bound to the bed and I’m fucking him while you are there, just out of reach?”

Spencer’s cock twitched to life as he stood there, silent watching Jackson slowly stroke himself to hardness.

“Answer me, Petite Chou!” The demand in Jackson’s voice had Spencer groaning. He wanted to thrust his hips, but his training made him stand there and wait. The sound of the door opening didn’t stop Jackson from stroking himself, they both knew it was Aaron.

“I see you two are starting without me,” Aaron joked as he put down the bag of fresh bagels, cream cheese, lox and other toppings that would go on the bagels for the next morning.

“I have a plan, and it starts with you getting naked and coming over here and sucking my cock.” Jackson used the same voice on Aaron, the one that got him obeying the only man who could ever dominate him.

Spencer’s cock ached as he stood there and watched Aaron strip, then kneel between Jackson’s legs and take the cock in his mouth. The only thing Spencer saw was Aaron’s head bobbing up and down, but the noises, Jackson made told him that Aaron was giving him pleasure.

“Enough,” Jackson grabbed Aaron’s short hair and pulled him off his cock. “Give our boy some attention, Aaron, but don’t let him come.” Aaron turned and walked on his knees till he got to Spencer. When Aaron’s lips wrapped around him, Spencer almost lost all his training as his knees felt like they wanted to buckle out from under him.

“Beautiful. God, you both, are just so fucking beautiful.” Jackson moaned as he watched, continuing to work his cock in his hand. Spencer closed his eyes as he panted and keened with what Aaron was doing to him. When he felt like he was going to cum, he stopped himself, though it was difficult when Aaron deep throated him. The head of his cock had slipped down Aaron’s throat, and Spencer cried out when those muscles closed around him.

“That’s enough, Aaron. Come here, Petite Chou.” Spencer’s legs were jelly as he moved closer to Jackson. “On your knees.” Spencer got down on his knees and watched as Jackson fisted himself tighter. He knew the man was close, he heard it in his breathing and saw the swell of the cock in his hands. “Open,” Jackson panted as his hand flew over his cock, seeking relief. Spencer opened his mouth and moved his head closer.

“So good. Fuck Spencer,” Jackson cried out as he came in Spencer’s open mouth, some of his cum landing on Spencer’s tongue, and some on his face. “Don’t swallow,” Jackson was able to say as he sat there coming down the high of his orgasm. “Stand up, and kiss Aaron.”

Spencer stood, and before he could even move to his lover, Aaron was right there hungrily licking his face, cleaning up Jackson’s cum off of him. Then a tongue thrust inside his mouth sucking the semen off his tongue. Spencer moaned as Aaron kissed him with open mouthed kisses, making his cock even harder than it was just a moment before.

“Mmm, lovely,” Jackson had stood and come to stand behind Spencer. A hand landed on his ass making him jump a little and moan into Aaron’s mouth. “Don’t stop kissing. If one of you breaks, I will punish you.” The smacks on Spencer’ s ass were hard, and soon he felt the fire and knew he was very red. He and Aaron didn’t break, they kept kissing. Spencer was getting lost in the sensation, letting himself go. The crack of a flogger on his back pushed him tighter against Aaron.

Jackson kept up the flogging on Spencer, then switched to Aaron who had grabbed Spencer’s ass, squeezing hard making the sub scream as the sharp pain radiated all through his ass and groin. But, through it all, they didn’t break the kiss.

Aaron’s back and thighs were on fire. His cock was so hard he wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to last.

“Fuck me. The two of you would make a fortune doing porn.” Jackson teased. “Spencer, I want you now to get on your knees and take Aaron in your mouth, but don’t move.”

“Jax,” Aaron’s eyes rolled almost in the back of his head when that mouth he knew so well wrapped around him.

“Oh, trust me, Aaron,” Jackson whispered seductively in Aaron’s ear. Then a paddle came down hard against him, making his hips thrust forward and push hard in Spencer’s mouth. Aaron let out an obscene noise and knew exactly then what Jackson was about.

Jackson kept up the spanking till he heard the change in Aaron’s breathing, and saw the tensing of his thighs and hips. He knew it would just take a couple more hits, then he would be coming in Spencer’s mouth.

“That’s it, Aaron. Do you want to come in his mouth? Or, do you want to come all over his face, then have me lick it all up.”

Aaron’s hand his hand gripped in Spencer’s hair, and when he looked down at the sub’s eyes he knew Spencer was gone, Aaron also knew what he wanted.

“Face,” Aaron finally got out. Jackson stopped, then kissed Aaron hard.

“Go ahead.”

Aaron pulled out, and his hand flew over his cock, not taking much for him to ejaculate all over Spencer’s face. Jackson’s eyes were so dark they were black as he hauled Spencer to his feet and licked his face clean then kissed him.

“I’m hard again, what are you going to do about it, Aaron? Should I fuck you and make our boy here watch?”

“Fuck, yes.”

It wasn’t long for Spencer to be bound to a chair, legs spread wide open and Aaron was bound in cuffs and chains on the bed, on his stomach, Jackson buried deep in his ass, fucking him hard. Raking nails down Aaron’s back, making the man scream, Jackson looked over to see Spencer trying to thrust up into the air.

“You can come when I do, Spencer.” Jackson grabbed Aaron’s ass and pulled his cheeks apart, making him cry out again at the flare of pain from the spanking. Jackson groaned as he sank deeper inside Aaron. “Close now, my loves.”

Aaron was thrusting against the bed, trying to find relief.

“Come on, Aaron. Come for my love.” Jackson demanded, and he was rewarded with the near painful squeeze of muscles against his cock as he fucked into Aaron a few more times, then he too was coming deep inside his ass. They both heard an almost pained cry and at the same time looked to see Spencer coming all over himself with neither of them touching him.

Jackson pulled out and went to check on Spencer. The man had passed out. Carefully he unhooked him from the chair, then got him to open his eyes.

“That’s it, let me see those beautiful eyes. Come on Petite. Let’s get you in the bathroom where we can all enjoy a bath.” The suite had a large round spa tub that Jackson and Aaron had installed years prior. Jackson got Spencer in the bathroom and started the water in the tub. He then returned to the bedroom and helped Aaron up off the bed. The man looked a little drunk. Jackson was a little stunned.

“Hey, Aaron, come on love. Did you slip into subspace?”

The smile on his lover’s face told him that he had.

“You haven’t done that in years. Come on, you are getting a bath too.”

“Mmm, sounds nice,” Aaron slurred as Jackson helped him walk.

The bath was the perfect temperature, and Jackson helped the two men into the tub.

He knew they would need rest, and some fluids before they headed out for the private exhibit. Jackson made plans in his head and knew the other two were going to love what he had planned. He had not told him what the exhibit was, he was looking forward to their reactions. It was BDSM themed, the artist was a mixed media artist. Photographs that he added paint to enhance and refine the details. Large sculptures, clay, and metal. The metal pieces were used to intensify the central theme of the sculptures. There were some hardcore elements, scarification, body modification, piercings, tattoos, and more. There were graphic depictions of couples in poses, or scenes. Jackson wanted some of the pieces for the clubs in Atlantic City and DC. He knew Aaron wasn’t going to argue.

* * *

Spencer put on the suit that Aaron had tailored for him in Tokyo. It was a modern take on a kimono. The top slanted towards the side, almost like a robe and tied with a cloth belt. This one was tailored close to Spencer’s measurements, and it hugged him flawlessly. The jacket was in a heather gray color, he wore a complementary purple shirt underneath, no tie was necessary. The tailored slacks that matched were a darker gray and hugged his ass in such a way that for them to look their best he would have to go without underwear. Spencer opted for the star spinel jewelry, and one of his tighter double leather collars. He lightly styled his hair, then felt he was ready to leave.

“Gorgeous. Tahiko Kaneda got the measurements down perfectly. I don’t think I could have asked for someone better to make this suit for you. If you like it, we can see about getting you a couple more. Maybe one in pure black. You would turn even more heads dressed like this.” Aaron grabbed the ends of the belt and pulled Spencer to him.

“I’ll see how it wears, but I like it. Maybe one or two in the linen-bamboo combination that Kaneda is known for.”

“We’ll talk about it when we get home, get him on Skype and discuss what he can do. I think he would fall at your feet to wear his designs.” Aaron didn’t even try to hide the smug look on his face as he kissed Spencer.

“You have your panic button?”

Generally, Spencer’s panic buttons were sewed into his tailored jackets, easy enough to hide in a pocket or just under the lining. But the material that Kaneda used would not work for that, so Jackson had made a special series of panic buttons for those people that found themselves with a need for them. They could be hidden as portable flash drives, clever key chains, tie tacks, or any number of custom creations. Spencer’s was a key chain that was a TARDIS. He also had a small Enterprise, a K-9 from Doctor Who and a couple of other fan inspired pieces. He could also hide his smaller gun, letting it sit at his back. The jacket was long enough to cover it up, and no one could tell what it was.

“Right here. I’m also armed, Aaron. I’ve been in New York many times and know how to stay safe.”

“I know, Pet, but you are just too important to me.” Aaron feathered his fingers over Spencer’s face then leaned in for another kiss. “Just be careful.”

“I promise, I'll be all right, Sir,” Spencer said. He was a killer, after all, anyone who tried to mess with him should be the ones to be afraid. After finally assuring Aaron that he would be fine, Spencer left.

The subway ride to Master Gao’s hotel wasn’t very long, and Spencer knew he was getting looks from both men and women. He smirked and went back to the tablet he had brought with him. It was a smaller one, something Jackson was prototyping. It was a foldable tablet. When unfolded it was slim, light and measured ten and a half inches. Spencer was giving it a real world workout before Grimes Industries did a full roll out on it later the following year. Spencer had already flagged a few bugs for Jackson with some of the standard software. The hardware, so far, had been holding up. Even the folding and unfolding wasn’t causing any issues with the thin innovative screen.

Spencer was currently reading which kept most people out of his personal space.

“Well, hello. Someone actually let you out of their sight?” A deep male voice with a London accent said as he leaned in close, but not touching Spencer.

Spencer closed the tablet and narrowed his eyes at the blond man who was desperately and badly trying to flirt with him.

“I’m sorry did I look like I was someone who invited you into my personal space for a conversation?” Spencer put just enough venom in his voice that made most people back off. This guy, though, just smiled.

“Well, you do have a sharp tongue, don’t you?”

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but you need to leave. I won’t ask again.”

The man smiled, and it was very predatory. He chuckled as he leaned in just a bit more.

“Master Gao didn’t tell me that you were a vicious little thing.”

Spencer’s brow curved in a questioning gesture as he put the tablet away in a hidden inside pocket of his jacket.

“And just how did you know I was going to be on this particular subway train?”

“It’s my job to know. Oh, don’t worry, Spencer. I was flirting to put on a show for the others on the train.” The man whispered in his ear. “And the name is Bond. James Bond. I’m Gao’s personal bodyguard. I was sent to make sure that you were delivered safely into Gao’s care.”

“I’m sure that you are more than just a bodyguard, Mr. Bond.”

“You may be right, Dr. Reid.”

Spencer had the feeling that if he weren't bonded to Aaron and Jackson like he was, he would have been claimed by this James Bond. The man was powerful and confident. He also had a quiet grace about him that Spencer felt immediately comfortable with. Bond reminded him of Aaron in some ways.

They exited the train at their stop, and Spencer fell into a similar pattern of just behind and to the side of Bond. His years with Aaron, and with their own personal bodyguards had him falling into the trained behavior easily. He didn’t feel the need to argue with the man. He was doing his job and making sure he was going to get to where he was going safely.

Spencer was glad that Bond was a quiet person. He didn’t feel the need to fill up the silence between them as they walked the short distance to Gao’s hotel. From there, the two of them would make their way to the restaurant.

The elevator ride up to the penthouse suites was short, and soon Spencer found himself bowing to the man that had trained him to be an assassin.

“Master. It has been too long.”

“Yes, it has Spencer-san. Come let us sit for a moment. Our reservation can wait. There is a lot we need to talk about. Would you like coffee?”

Spencer knew that Gao usually only drank a jasmine green tea mix, coffee was an indulgence he only let himself have when Spencer was visiting him.

“Thank you, I would love coffee.”

Gao rang a bell, and a young man came to the living room. It took a lot for Spencer to be shocked, but shocked he was when he looked up to see a very naked man about his age with brunet hair to his shoulders, a collar around his neck and his cock in a cage. A chain ran from the collar to a belly ring that split from there and attached to either side of the cage. The chain had been pulled taut enough that it was flush with the young man’s body, pulling on the belly ring and the cage. The pale skin had scars, but they looked even more deliberate than his own. Spencer almost forgot himself as he stared at the scars, mesmerized.

“Yes, Master Gao?”

“Q, where is Simon?”

“He had an emergency, Master. He said he would call and explain. He asked if I could attend you until he returned.”

Gao looked between Spencer and Q. The two young men were similar in a lot of ways.

“Q belongs to Bond. He only rarely attends me. Q has other talents that are useful to the clan. A hacker like you've never seen before. The man is brilliant. Don’t let him fool you. He may look innocent, but he is far from it. I found them in Okinawa in a seedy club making money exhibiting. I was intrigued, and after a few discussions brought them with me. They are as fiercely loyal to me as you are, Spencer-san.”

“Q, if you please, we would like coffee. Bring your laptop in here, I think you’ll want to be here for this conversation.”

“Master.” Q bowed, then made his way to the small kitchen where he set about making coffee. Spencer was still mesmerized by him.

“He is beautiful, isn’t he. Q, though, is completely and wholly, Bond’s. That was made very clear to me when I brought them into my house. It doesn’t stop me from looking.” Gao smiled a playful, but lascivious smile.

“Master, one day your perverse mind is going to get you into trouble.”

“This, Spencer-san, I know well.”

Spencer laughed as he curled up on the couch, having left his shoes at the entrance to the suite. Q was making his way back into the living room and served the coffee, while he had his own pot of tea. He disappeared a moment and came back with his laptop.

“Q is currently trying to break into Tachiyumi Corporation. I think they have been involved in spying on our clan’s leader. I believe they are trying to get out of paying back the sizable loan that he was lent.”

“Do you need help?”

“No. Not that I do not appreciate it, Spencer. But, this is a long game they are attempting to play with us. Don’t worry, you do not need to concern yourself. That is not why I wanted to see you.” Gao stood and walked to a desk. He pulled out a file and brought it back over and handed it to Spencer.

“As you know, Spencer. I never had a wife, and I never married. I trained few over the years that were worthy of my training, but none of them are to me what you are, Spencer. I know you have no family outside of your Aaron and now I hear that Jackson Grimes has made a more permanent claim in your lives.”

Spencer smiled as he lifted his hand and played with the collar. Aaron’s and Jackson’s names were on tags that hung from individual rings.

“Yes. I’ve always cared about Jackson. Aaron has been in love with him since college. It took a strange set of circumstances for them both to realize that I cared for them. We are making it work.”

“It is good for you Spencer. Now, read what is in that file.”

Spencer frowned as he opened the folder and in it was adoption papers. Gao wanted him for a son. Spencer’s heart raced as he looked up at Gao, tears sprang unbidden to his eyes, and he was overcome with emotion.

“I want to make you my heir, Spencer, officially. If anything happens to me, all of my legacies will pass to you. The clan has already approved, they like you and they like Aaron. He thinks like Yakuza, and they have been impressed by him. Rarely do they let outsiders into the clan, but they have made exceptions in the past.”

“You...you want to make me your heir?”

“Yes, Spencer. You are like the son I never had. I saw your potential the first day you spent time in my dojo. I knew you were something special. It was why I took you on as my personal student.”

Spencer’s hands shook as he held the papers. This was not what he was expecting, not at all. His hand went to his collar, a grounding trick he had used when he was in the other world. His breathing shortened, and he closed his eyes trying to calm the panic he felt. Not saying anything he dropped the papers and ran out. He heard Gao speaking to Q, who sounded worried.

“This is a big thing for him, Q. Let him go, he will come back to me when he is calm and ready.”

“Should I call James, Sir?”

“No. No, I believe this is something Spencer needs to work out for himself.” Spencer felt a little guilty for putting the worry in Gao’s voice, but he just needed out of there. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he hit the emergency number for Aaron as he flung himself through the penthouse door and collapsed against the wall in the hallway.

Spencer pulled his knees up to his chest and tried to calm his breathing. His thoughts were wild in his head, and he wished Aaron was there.

“Spencer? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” The calm abruptness in Aaron’s voice helped him to breathe. He knew he was taking too long to answer when Aaron spoke again, but this time the tone was sharper. “Spencer! Answer me.”

“N-n-not hurt. I’m not hurt.” Finally, his voice cooperated, and he was able to say something.

“Pet, what’s wrong? Do you need me to come there?”

“N-no, I-I-I just needed to hear your voice.”

“Alright. Pet, tell me what has you so upset.”

“Master Gao. He...he wants to make me his heir. Aaron, he said I am like a son to him.” The tears broke through, and Spencer curled up into himself more. He had to protect himself, didn’t he? Gripping the phone, his emotions and thoughts were a confused, jumbled mess and he didn’t know what to do about it.

“Oh, Pet. Shhh, it’s okay. You are okay. I’m right here, Pet. I’m not going anywhere till you are calm and know you’re safe. I love you. Master Gao loves you, Spencer. I also know how special he is to you. This is a good thing, Pet. You know Gao. You know he would never hurt you, and like me, if anyone in this world hurt you, he’d burn it to the ground.” Aaron kept talking. Spencer listened and let the words penetrate his confused mind. He was right. Gao would never hurt him like his parents had. Taking a few deep breaths, Spencer calmed down. He slowly stood, Aaron still talking to him.

“Thank you, Aaron.” Spencer swallowed as he reigned in his emotions.

“Spencer, you never have to thank me. Now, go on, and we will talk more when you get back.”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer ended the call. He wasn’t fully settled, but he felt calmer as he made his way back into the penthouse. When he entered the living room, he bowed his head and got on his knees in front of Gao.

“I’m sorry, Master.”

“Spencer, you do not have to call me Master. I should have anticipated how you would react. I should apologize for just springing this on you.”

Spencer looked up and knew, at that moment that he wanted this. Gao was more parent to him than his own parents has been. His breath hitched a moment, then he was looking up at Gao. “Yes, sir...Father?” The word spilled from his mouth had even him surprised.

“I like that. If that is what you want to call me. But, Jinto would be okay as well, Spencer-san.”

A smile spread on his face as he launched himself at Gao, wrapping around him. Arms came up and held him close.

“Father,” Spencer said again as he buried his head against Gao’s neck.

“Son.” Gao gripped the back of Spencer’s neck and held him for a moment. The two then broke apart.

“We shall go to lunch, then tonight you shall bring your lover’s, and we will celebrate.”

* * *

“Jinto, that was fabulous. Congratulations to your chef on a fantastic meal.”

“Thank you, Aaron. I am pleased that you enjoyed it. Nothing but the best for my Heir and his family.” Gao looked over at Jackson and leaned forward a little. “I am glad that you are here, Mr. Grimes. I know you have been trying to get an audience with me. I have not meant to put you off, but you have to know that I worry when a competitor such as yourself wants my attention.” Gao narrowed his eyes just a little.

Spencer had wandered away from the table and looked like he was locked in an intense conversation with Q. The man was only slightly more dressed than in the afternoon, a silvery blue see through kimono was wrapped around him. None of the others in the room could keep their eyes off of the enchanting young man.

Jackson had to tear his own eyes away from seeing Spencer gently running his fingers over Q’s scars. The sight, he had to admit, aroused him more than it was probably healthy for him.

“Yes, well I wanted to talk to you about a proposal I have. My company has been playing with some new technology, and I believe it could be something that you would like to have for some of your own products. I think we can help each other out. I have no want or need to try to take you over, Gao.”

“Then when you feel the time is appropriate, we shall speak. But, tonight I promised no talk of business. Come, plum wine, coffee, and several traditional Japanese sweets have been set out for us in the other room. Or, if you prefer I can bring out the sake.”

“No. The coffee will be all right,” Aaron said as he stood and moved into the living room where Spencer was still talking to Q.

“Pet,” Aaron’s voice wasn’t sharp, but there was that commanding edge to it that had Spencer looking up. “Why don’t you let your new friend get back to his duties, and we spend the rest of the evening with Master Gao.”

Spencer smiled once at Q, then scrambled over to Aaron, sitting on the floor with his legs bent under him.

“Sir,” Spencer laid his head on Aaron’s knee. A hand gripped his hair just enough to pull.

The conversation was easy. Aaron and Spencer stuck with coffee, Jackson had a glass of the plum wine, and they all let themselves indulge just a little in the array of confections laid out on plates on the coffee table. Spencer preferred the mochi, his favorite being the black sesame version. Aaron liked the mini steam cakes flavored with green tea, cardamom, sweet milk, or red bean. The sugar was subtle as were each of the flavors of the cakes. Jackson liked a little of everything.

“I may have to extend my running tomorrow, but these cakes are exquisite, Jinto.”

“Thank you, again.” Gao was going to continue the conversation that had quieted while each man had indulged when Bond came up to him and whispered in his ear. “Are you certain, James?” Gao asked.

“Quite.” Bond stood and let his gazed land on Aaron. He swept his eyes over the man, who held his gaze steady while Bond curved his mouth in a sly smile.

“It appears, gentlemen, that Q would like to give you a private exhibition. Spencer here is quite taken with his scars and Q, well he is quite taken with Spencer.”

Aaron pulled on Spencer’s hair and manipulated his head just enough to make him look up at him.

“What do you want, Pet?”

Spencer bit his lip as he turned his eyes up to look at Aaron.

“I would like that, Sir.”

“Alright.” Aaron let him go and looked back up at Bond. “Seems that Pet here would love to watch.”

“Just, Spencer?” Bond didn’t even hide the smirk on his face as he stared right at Aaron. His attraction wasn’t even hidden as he let his gaze slide over all three men.

“I must admit that I, too am curious. I’ve rarely seen a Master/slave dynamic as fully immersed as the two of you are. We would be honored.” Aaron kept James’ gaze for a moment longer, then the man smiled and walked away.

“I had an empty area of the suite converted for James and Q. They have a space that is their playroom. I will take you then leave you to it. I have seen them many times together, but you enjoy. I’ll have rooms ready for you for after.”

Aaron was amused by the fact that Gao knew they might be staying the night. Gao showed them the playroom, then took his leave of the three of them.

When they entered, Q was stripped down and strapped to a St. Andrews Cross, naked. The scarification of his body was prominent in the black light that was focused just above. The scars had invisible ink in them that glowed brightly in the blacklight. Spencer shivered just a little seeing the effect of the computer code crawling over Q’s back, almost matrix style. His arms and legs looked like circuits that seamlessly united with the code. Spencer closed his eyes remembering what those scars felt like under his hand.

“I think our boy is almost gone before the night even starts.” Jackson sat on the loveseat that had been positioned right in front of the cross, giving them a perfect view. Aaron sat next to him, while Spencer sat half on Aaron, half on Jackson. He leaned back, and Jackson immediately started to undo his jacket.

“Lovely, isn’t he,” Bond practically crooned as he let his fingers wander over Q’s skin.

“Gorgeous,” Aaron said, but he wasn’t looking at Q. He was watching Bond.

Spencer and Jackson both looked at each other, knowing what that was all about. Aaron always was attracted to strength and intelligence. Bond oozed both. The two men were flirting, heavily with barely any words between them. Spencer knew nothing much would come of it, and Jackson was secure enough in himself that he didn’t get jealous that easily. Aaron liked to flirt, especially with other Doms.

“Shh, I promise we will give you a show like none other.” Bond turned the lights down even more, then stripped down himself, and changed into a pair of loose cotton pants.

The first crack of the paddle against Q’s ass had the young man jumping, and Spencer’s breath hitched. Hands worked to unbutton his shirt and strip him as they watched James bring Q further down inside himself. As the sub writhed and moan against the cross, Spencer lost more of his clothes. Only standing once to let them take off his pants.

“They’re gorgeous, aren’t they, Pet.”

“Yes,” Spencer panted as two sets of hands touched him everywhere.

The sudden silence had all three men concentrating on the scene in front of them. Bond had a sharp implement in his hand. Before he touched the blade to Q’s back, a kiss on his shoulder as finger’s drifted over the intricate scars.

“Come,” Bond’s voice was soft, but no less commanding. Q shuddered, and Spencer gasped as he watched the bound man’s release hit the floor. Spencer’s breath hitched as slick hands wrapped around his cock. He heard Aaron’s breath catch as Bond made the first of many incisions on Q’s lower back. Spencer reached down and felt how hard Aaron was in his pants, and he only got harder watching the trickle of blood run down Q’s back.

Q’s breath only quickened as Bond continued to mark up his sub, but no other sounds came out. Spencer was in awe of Q’s control and absolute submission to his Dom. Spencer was so focused on the scene and his pleasure he had not felt Aaron move just a little, but lips near his ear almost made him jump.

“Come when Q does, Pet.”

Spencer swallowed hard as his eyes once more focused on what was in front of him. Bond was done, and he cleaned up Q, then took him off the cross. The sub immediately went to his knees, Bond stood, so he was in profile to the onlookers. Pushing his pants down past his hips, Bond didn’t have to say anything, and Q took his fully erect cock in his mouth. The subs eyes closed as Bond curled his fingers in Q’s hair and held him right where he wanted him, then he fucked that sinful looking mouth.

Spencer was laying back half on Aaron, half on Jackson, his body on fire with the need for release, but he was told he couldn’t, not till Q was commanded he could.

Jackson was kissing Spencer’s neck while watching Aaron who had his eyes on Bond. Aaron was palming himself, his breathing was hard as his arousal was evident by his hardness, and the flush on his face. Jackson was aroused as well, but not like his lovers were. He was enjoying watching Aaron lose it. The man held himself together most of the time and only rarely let his composure break. Aaron was very close to breaking, and Jackson was enjoying every second.

“Stroke yourself Q. Show our guests what you like, come when you want.” Bond’s head fell back on his shoulders as he body grew taut, Aaron could see he was close.

Jackson carefully maneuvered Spencer onto the couch while he stood and moved around to Aaron. He dropped to his knees and pulled on Aaron’s zipper, then with Aaron’s help pulled his trousers and boxers down to his ankles. Jackson was more interested in Aaron’s cock than the show in front of them. He knew it wasn’t going to take much for his lover to come. Aaron’s hips jerked when Jackson took him into his mouth.

“Not gonna last, Jax.” Aaron gripped Jackson’s hair while his eyes stayed on Bond. A couple of minutes later Bond was pulling out of the mouth he thoroughly used and started to jerk himself off. Q’s eyes were glazed as his mouth opened wide, anticipating what his Dom wanted. Bond came, spilling on Q’s tongue, with some of his release hitting Q’s face.

“Fuck,” Aaron gripped the arm of the couch as he pressed in Jackson’s mouth and came. Twin grunts were heard as Q and Spencer each found their release one after the other.

Jackson crawled into Aaron’s lap and kissed him, while Spencer slumped against them. Silently Bond and Q left the room, Aaron knowing he was going to take care of his sub.

“I think we should go to our room and help out poor Jackson here. What do you think, Spencer?”

“I think you’re right, Sir.”

Aaron let Jackson slip off his lap, and the three men went to the room Gaō had given them for the night. Once there, Jackson was treated to Aaron and Spencer’s undivided attention.

Breakfast was a lively affair. This time Q was dressed in sinfully tight hip hugging jeans and a loose flowing shirt. Spencer appreciated the look and smiled at the young man.

“I am sorry to see you leave today, Spencer-chan. But, we will see each other again soon.”

“Yes…” Spencer bit his lip a moment because it no longer felt appropriate to call Gaō Master. Hands on his thigh squeezed and reassured Spencer. “Father.”

Gao’s smile made Spencer smile. The master was happy which made Spencer happy. He hoped he could live up to Gao’s expectations.

# Our World

Spencer knew that something was wrong. He didn't feel right, he didn't feel healthy, for who Spencer was or who he had been. It felt close to something that had happened to him in the other world, so Spencer dressed in a pair of loose-fitting linen pants and a flowing shirt that had been hung up in the back of the closet in his apartment. It had been so out of place for the other Spencer that Spencer hadn't known why he had bought the clothes. Aaron and Jack had left early for a father-son day out, and Spencer had opted to not go, to give them time together and because he had been feeling this coming on.

All day, Spencer had tried to do everything that he could to stave on what he was feeling. He had gone on three runs and was worn out, but he couldn't sleep. Both apartments were spotless, even dusting was all done. No book could hold his attention for any period of time longer than three words. Spencer thought about what the cause was, and he knew it right away. The slow onset of the feelings had been coming on for a few weeks, but the sharp uptake was from nearly a day and a half before. Spencer had been working from home and Aaron had come home early to spend a few hours with Spencer before Jack got home. Things had got intense for both of them, but the sexual encounter that had followed had left Spencer feeling hollow. Spencer knew what he needed but what he needed wasn't available to him. The Aaron who had taken care of him last time that he had started to feel like this was long gone away from Spencer and Spencer didn't trust his Aaron to take care of him the way that was needed.

Trusting his gut, Spencer grabbed his wallet and exited the apartment. It was still early in the day, too early for the club to actually be open but he knew that someone was always there, in case a Dom or a Sub needed help. And that was exactly what Spencer was, a Sub in need of aid. It took a lot longer than what he wanted to admit for him to get to the elevator and then down into the foyer. Spencer wasn't shocked when he was meet at the elevator door by the security guard on duty. He figured that to him he looked drunk or something.

"I've called a car, Doctor Reid, that one that you and Agent Hotchner like with the weird driver."

Spencer knew what he meant. The man who Jackson had made sure was safe to drive Spencer to and from the airport after meetings. Spencer was finding that he didn't mind getting driven place to place. Spencer didn't hate driving, but he did like the more free time he had to do things. He had taken the time when he was being driven around to read, for pleasure. The other Aaron was right in that the needed to make time for himself in all the crazy. He owed it to himself, and his Aaron did indulge him when Spencer made his wants known. It was hard though, making his desires known.

The beep of a horn pulled Spencer from his thoughts, and he realized that he had stopped moving. He was standing in the doorway with the guard holding the door open and just blankly staring at the car. Wentworth was out of the car and coming around as Spencer started towards it. The guard let go of Spencer as Wentworth came even with Spencer on his other side.

Nothing was said between the three of them as Spencer was helped into the front seat of the town car and Wentworth went around to get into the driver's seat. The guard shut the door and moved back inside the building. Spencer figured that he had watched Spencer stumble out of his apartment. The halls all now had cameras in them after the Foyet debacle and no one around Aaron calling the cops after a forty-four magnum was fired in the early morning hours.

"I don't think you need a hospital, but I don't know what you need."

"The club. The place that Jackson talked about last time." Spencer couldn't remember the name of it. He knew then that he needed to get to Trevor as soon as possible.

Spencer curled his legs up into the seat and laid his head on his knees, watching the cars pass by. Wentworth didn't say a single thing on the trip across town. Spencer could see him looking out of the corner of his eye at Spencer every single chance that he got and at one point at a very long light, Spencer was pretty sure that Wentworth was texting someone. Spencer swore he heard the buzzing of a phone several times when Wentworth started to drive again.

"Doctor Reid, you call me when you want to go home," Wentworth said when he pulled up in front of the side entrance to the club. Not the main one but the side. Spencer looked and saw not Trevor but Carlie and Broderick there. Spencer debated for several seconds about not getting out. About having Wentworth take him back to the apartment, waiting for Aaron because at least Aaron he knew. Trevor wasn't there, and Trevor was who Spencer trusted. The Dom and Sub seemed to sense that he was having second thoughts because Broderick pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Spencer couldn't hear what he said, but before Spencer could make up his mind, Broderick was hanging up and moving over toward the car. Broderick showed Spencer the text messaging screen. There was one from Trevor that said he would be there as soon as traffic allowed. The next thing to pop up asked Spencer to go with Carlie at least until he got there. Spencer laid his hand on the lever to open the door, but the door was opened for him by Broderick.

"Thank you, Sir," Broderick said, and Spencer was confused because there was no reason for Broderick to call him that. When Spencer got his eyes to focus on the man in front of him, he realized that he wasn't talking to Spencer but to Wentworth. "You can tell Jackson that we have him."

"Thank you. You need anything from me, call."

Broderick was gentle as he pulled Spencer up and out of the car. Before Spencer could get his feet fully under him, Broderick was lifting him up into a bridal carry. Carlie was holding the door to the club open. It was dark inside, and as they moved within it, Spencer saw no one, heard no one. Instead of going into one of the rooms in the upper part of the building, Spencer was taken down, into the basement. He had known that there were rooms in the basement, whispers of them. The one that he was taken into had muted lighting. Spencer was laid down on a bed that was softer than Spencer had ever laid in. Spencer clung to Broderick's arm as he tried to move away. Broderick sat down beside him on the bed, staying upright as Spencer laid down. Clingy wasn't anything that Spencer ever thought that he would be but Aaron, the other Aaron had never made him feel upset about it. About wanting it, needing the physical contact with him.

"Nothing you say, Spencer, will ever be repeated outside of this room. Not to Aaron, not to anyone," Carlie said as she crawled into bed with Spencer. She laid on her side but didn't get close. Instead, she just settled into the middle and looked at Spencer. Spencer let go of Broderick's arm and crawled over into Carlie's arms. He let her wrap her arms around him, and Broderick pressed into his back. Broderick laid a hand on Spencer's arm, just touching him.

Spencer closed his eyes, and he just drifted. He felt himself start to float on the edge of sleep. He listened to the deep breaths of Broderick and the light ones of Carlie.

"Hey," a voice said but Spencer didn't even rouse, he just laid there. "What the hell happened?"

"Don't know. From what I got from Jackson Grimes is that he was acting weird in the hallway out of his apartment. Security called a secure car and the driver Wentworth, a part-time employee of Jackson's, to come and get him and take him to either the hospital or friends. Jackson told him to bring Spencer here. Jackson was right, it's drop. Jackson said that he was on the verge of it not long before, and he helped to stop it but he's in England, and even if he got here as soon as possible, that would be too long for Spencer. So there is us."

"Aaron's been keeping up on his lessons with me, but Spencer hasn't come to a single one, not since whatever science fiction shit happened and we got this one. Carlie, love, let me take your place, and I'll sit with him. You handle Aaron."

"I don't think that Spencer even brought his phone. The pants are loose, and all I see is a wallet. I don't know whether to call him or to wait for him to get a hold of Jackson."

"Let's play it by ear. It's a Saturday, and there is every single chance that this is in direct response to a play scene," Trevor said.

Spencer felt Carlie move away from him and then Trevor was there. Spencer knew Trevor best, but he still didn't know him or trust him all that much. Spencer buried his head in the pillow under his head and just relaxed. There were no intimate touches like Aaron had done before but being between the two men, Spencer felt safe and like he could sleep. Sleep sounded like a good idea.

* * *

The sound of voices woke Spencer up.

"Right now isn't the time for guilt, Aaron. That Spencer that was here before did not prepare you for this. He knew the signs of subdrop and could easily have taught them to you them. Right now, Spencer needs you. He needs a lot of things from you and guilt is not there. He's taking a nap right now." A female voice, so it had to be Carlie.

"Where?" Aaron asked. He didn't sound upset, he didn't sound mad. Spencer wasn't sure what he sounded like.

"He's on the bed, between Trev and Brod, he needs to be touched, to be grounded. Trevor is going to stay, but Broderick will leave. Trevor has already been told that if you are going to be a hindrance, we will throw you out."

"I'm not going to be. Jackson called me while I was out with Jack and said that Spencer wasn't feeling well. When I was able to get away from Jack for a few seconds, slipping to the bathroom, I was able to get it all. He said that Spencer was asleep and he would text when I would be allowed to see him."

"Trevor stated that he texted you what to bring with you and he said that he would tell you how long you are staying."

"Yes. I brought what Trevor said. I didn't know there were rooms down here."

"Yes, all three rooms are the same."

"There isn't a lot of privacy."

"These rooms are made so that there is little privacy. For the safety of the Subs who come here to recover after something horrible happens to them. So that nothing can hide anywhere in the room, not demons of their own making or the Dom who put them down here. Or for couples to force themselves to not hide from each other and I think that it's exactly what you need. We have cameras in here, but we are the only three that can access it and there is no audio, and we only do checks every few hours and to check on your status before we deliver food. One to many entering during sex made that an imperative. I found some clothes that match Spencer's for you to wear. I have them in the closet."

"Thank you, Carlie."

"You are going to go in there for a while, and then Broderick is going to go back in and stay with him; however Spencer wants him to stay with him, and Trever, you, and I are going to talk."

Nothing else was said, but Spencer heard movement. Spencer didn't open his eyes, and he didn't move. He wasn't even sure if Trevor and Broderick knew that he was awake. A few minutes later, the body at his back, Broderick, if Spencer hadn't moved, got up and then the smell of Aaron was around him. Spencer felt the want to roll over, to press his face into Aaron's neck and to take what he wanted, what he needed. When Aaron wrapped his arm around Spencer, Spencer didn't stop himself from rolling over. Aaron slipped an arm under Spencer's head, taking the place of the pillow and the other arm around his waist tightened.

Trevor didn't move in closer, he stayed there at the edge.

"Am I yours?" Spencer asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"Yes," Aaron whispered back.

"I don't feel like it. I don't feel you on me, in me, as a part of me." Spencer knew that he needed to give Aaron honesty. Trevor moved behind Spencer and was gone. Spencer shivered at the loss of heat. Warmth enveloped him as a blanket was thrown over him and Aaron.

"Aaron," Carlie said, her voice coming from across the room. "Tell him what Trevor said for you to bring. We will all three leave you alone." The sound of the door shutting told Spencer that they were alone, at least in person but he wouldn't be shocked if they were listening in.

"What did you bring?" Spencer asked when Aaron offered nothing after several minutes.

"I told you that the other Spencer helped me pick out a collar for you, but I haven't even brought it up with you since then. I didn't even think about it. The other Spencer was never shy about telling me when I wasn't doing something that he needed or wanted and it wasn't until Trevor asked why you weren't wearing a collar at all that I realized that I hadn't seen it on you in a while and never even asked. How long have you not been wearing that collar that Spencer bought?"

"Since that one weekend, I spent with Jackson. I couldn't wear it anymore, but I never asked for the one you had for me either."

"Those two really didn't prepare us for who we were getting. I was used to the other Spencer telling me what he needed and why that I didn't even question why you weren't asking me for anything. I just thought that everything was perfect."

"And the other Aaron was good at knowing what I wanted without me even understanding."

"Something set you off though, Spencer. When Carlie went over the signs of drop with me, I realized that you had been this way for a little over a day, it just got a lot worse when you were alone."

"When we had sex, you don't..." Spencer swallowed to give himself a break. The sex itself was fantastic. Aaron was perfect, for regular sex but Spencer could feel that the man was holding back. The man was denying himself something. "I know from the journals that the other Spencer left that you would go to sessions with Trevor and then when it was time, you would have him come and you would hurt him. You've not done that with me. You've not started anything other than rougher sex with me. I...I want that. I need that. I _need_ it, Aaron."

Aaron didn't answer verbally. Instead, he moved, going from being on his side beside Spencer to straddling Spencer's waist and forcing the younger man to look up at him. Aaron stared down at him before he reached and grabbed Spencer's hands. Spencer watched Aaron's face as his hands were pulled up to the head of the bed and the cuffs there were wrapped around his wrist. As each one tightened, Spencer felt himself relax down. Aaron's hands trailed down his arms before one of them grabbed his hair tight. Just on the edge of too much pain but Spencer just closed his eyes, savoring the feel of anything that Aaron was willing to give him. Aaron's other hand moved down, settling on his hip and digging in there. Spencer hissed in delight as his body settled down even more. Aaron kept the pressure of both calm and steady as Spencer drifted closer and closer to sleep. He was tired even though he had been napping for who knew how long but it's what his body wanted and Spencer was going to give into his body. As Spencer drifted back to sleep, he felt Aaron putting him onto his side before strong arms wrapped around his body. Spencer had enough ability of the mind to roll half on his front and Aaron moved with him, pressing him down into the bed even more and throwing his leg over Spencer's. Spencer felt owned and whole for the first time in a long time.

"Sir," Spencer muttered as sleep claimed him.

* * *

The smell of food woke Spencer up from his second nap of the day. Aaron was still wrapped around him, but his breathing wasn't even, Aaron was awake. Spencer didn't move, but still, he felt the hard erection pressed into his butt. Spencer almost rubbed against it, but the thought of arousal on his end sent Spencer into a small panic. Aaron shifted as soon as Spencer started to hyperventilate. Aaron turned from being on Spencer's side to pressing him down into the bed, face first. Hands grabbed his and pressed them down, even with the chains still hooked to the cuffs.

Spencer forced himself to settle down and breath normally with Aaron making nonsense noises in his ear to help calm him down. Spencer inhaled and exhaled slowly. It was easier with each breath that he took. Spencer's hearing came back slowly, and he could understand the words that Aaron said but the words didn't make sense in that Spencer wasn't sure that Aaron knew what he was saying. There were no other sounds in the room, so Spencer assumed that they were alone. When Spencer exhaled and went pliant under Aaron's body, Aaron stopped speaking. A kiss was pressed to the back of his ear, and Spencer realized that Aaron wasn't hard anymore.

"Can I let you go?" Aaron asked.

Spencer didn't trust his voice so he nodded and hoped that Aaron wouldn't make him speak just yet. Aaron let go of Spencer's hands and sat up but didn't move off of him. Spencer turned his head to where he could breathe a little better, and he could see Aaron on his back, looking at him with a wary eye, but when Spencer didn't do anything else, Aaron slipped off of him and settled in at his side.

"Carlie brought down dinner. Lamb stew and some bread that she said might be a little flat from Broderick kneading it a little room much."

"And tea. I can smell the tea."

"Yes, Chai she said."

"Did she tell you Chai or Chai tea?" Spencer asked, a smile coming to his face. He looked up at Aaron and saw that he was smiling as well.

"She just said, Chai. She did not say tea tea."

Spencer laughed at the look that Aaron gave him. He laughed and couldn't stop, having to roll onto his side so that he could breathe enough and not choke on his own laughing. Aaron smiled down at him, and Spencer could see the man that he had fallen in love with, the man that he wanted. The man who laughed. He vowed to make sure to see that man more, even if it meant forcing that person to talk to him. When Spencer finally could stop laughing, he scooted to sit up against the headboard of the bedroom and looked around. There indeed wasn't a place to hide. The bathtub had no curtain around it, and the shower was tucked into the corner of the room with no glass even around it. The walls were stone, but the colors of everything made the room feel warm, despite the grayness of it all. Spencer looked at the other corner of the room on that side and found a toilet with a near sheer curtain around it, to where the outline of anyone behind it would be seen but not quite what they were doing. Spencer saw a table in the corner, but the food wasn't on it. Instead, there was a tray set up right beside the bed. He looked and saw that the bowl was big but not enough for two servings, especially for men Spencer and Aaron's size. There were two cups of tea though and a big pile of bread. It all smelled wonderful.

"I ate already. Broderick was in here, and he sat beside you and read while I showered and ate a little while ago. This is for you."

Spencer held up his hands to be unhooked, but Aaron shook his head. He reached out and instead of touching the cuffs, he settled Spencer onto the bed with his legs crossed and arms at his sides, hands in his lap.

"Aaron?"

"You safeword and we stop but," Aaron stopped and grabbed the tray of food, easing it down onto the bed before he moved to where he was sitting in front of Spencer, and the tray was beside them. Aaron picked up a piece of the bread and ripped off a piece. Aaron offered it up to Spencer. Spencer opened his mouth, and the piece was popped into his mouth. Spencer realized what Aaron was going to do. Aaron held up the spoon with a piece of carrot, and a little of the soup of the stew and Spencer opened his mouth without any prompting. Aaron reached behind him after Spencer started to chew and picked up a robe. He carefully draped it across Spencer's back and unhooked a cuff to help him slid his arm down the robe before hooking it back up, he repeated the movement for the other, and when it was fully on Spencer, he wrapped it his front to warm Spencer up.

Aaron talked about his day with Jack and what he had done at work the day before, what he was planning to get done over the week. Intimacy without a sexual edge to it was what this was. The longer that Aaron talked and fed him, Spencer found that he was slipping deeper and deeper into the place that he hadn't been able to find since coming home. The place that he needed, that he had come to need over his time in the other world. It wasn't deep like when he was on a cross or a rack and was pushed deeper and deeper with each crack of the whip. This was sweeter and gentler, and it was just what he needed. Spencer didn't feel the need to offer anything up on his day. As the food filled his stomach, he felt the need to sleep again. There was no clock inside of the room, and Aaron wasn't wearing a watch. There was no way to figure out the time, Spencer wondered if that was an intentional thing for the room. With no way to track time, there was no way to just count the time until their time in the room was over.

Spencer snuggled down into the robe more as he finished chewing on the last bite of stew. There was only a single bit of bread left and a few swigs of tea from the second cup, Aaron had taken a few sips of it as he talked but Spencer had drunk both cups. Spencer realized that he had eaten more than he had in awhile and while Spencer didn't feel overly full, he felt sated in a way that Spencer didn't realize he hadn't been.

"JJ is worried about you and Morgan is the cause of that worry," Aaron said, the topic turning from soft to important with those few words. "I've not noticed, but I can see it in you now, you've dropped a few pounds." Aaron hands reached up and brushed at the skin under his eyes. "The dark lines under your eyes have deepened. I know that your working environment is something that I can't really change because you want to fight this on your own, make Morgan accept you for who you are, but you aren't coming to me personally either. I didn't even notice that you weren't eating what you should be or sleeping enough. That's on me, but the guilt has got to stop."

"Guilt? What guilt?" Spencer tried to control his breathing. He tried to wrap his arms around himself, tuck his legs up to protect himself from the words that Aaron was speaking but he didn't even realize that Aaron's hands were on his knees. He looked at his wrists and saw that while Aaron had been touching him while feeding him, he had shortened the chains holding him to the bed. Aaron scooted a little closer, draping Spencer's legs over his crossed legs. Another intimate but not necessarily sexual position.

"What made you go to that other world was a mistake. You did not do it on purpose. If you had known what it was going to do, would you have done it?" Aaron asked.

Spencer shook his head, the words caught in his throat. The hands on Spencer's thighs tightened. It wasn't punitive pain but just enough pain to help Spencer start talking. To quiet what was stopping him.

"No."

"You fixed what happened. You didn't mean for what happened to everyone to occur. The blame of what that other Spencer was able to do under our noses is on everyone who was actually here. Accidents happen, and you have to move on. You have to let go of the guilt."

"I don't..." Spencer shook his head. He closed his eyes. The guilt was the only thing keeping him together. He didn't want to let it go because it was all he had left. Spencer tried to pull in on himself again, pushing his back into the headboard as much as he could but Aaron's hands on his thighs stopped him from going away. Aaron pulled Spencer up and into his lap, making Spencer's arm go behind his back. He couldn't talk. Aaron reached around and unhooked the cuffs. Spencer started to move, but Aaron's hands on his hips stopped him.

"Turn around."

Spencer obeyed even though he didn't want to. He didn't know what turning around would actually do. As he did though, Aaron pulled the pillows away. Aaron stripped Spencer's robe and then shirt off of him. Spencer saw the hook ups above the bed, and when Aaron pressed along his back, hands grabbing one of Spencer's and raising it up, Spencer went willingly. His arms were stretched up, and he realized that the headboard was made for this, for someone to lean on. There was even a padded area where Spencer could lay his head. Spencer could feel himself start to get antsy the longer he stayed like that. He felt Aaron get off the bed and could hear him moving around. The door opened, and Spencer turned his head to see Trevor, Carlie, and Broderick enter. They didn't say anything, but their eyes were on Aaron, but Spencer couldn't see Aaron. Spencer turned his head back, and he laid his forehead on the little padded area. Spencer heard a crack of something behind him, and he was reminded of what the other Aaron had done. To help him get the words unstuck, to make him feel.

"Spencer, when you have had enough, just say your safe word." The voice that said that was different than what Spencer expected. The hardness was there, but there was warmth, more warmth than he expected. The first smack of the flogger on his back tore a whimper from Spencer's throat. Spencer closed his eyes on the fourth, and by the tenth, Spencer wasn't holding back a single sound. His throat was raw, and he'd lost count of the blows that his back had taken. He felt the guilt leave him, little by little, blow by blow.

"Maybe," a voice said, but Spencer didn't recognize it.

"No, he's not said his safeword," another voice said, this one female.

The crack of the flogger on his back one last time had Spencer crying out his safe word. He slumped down into the chains that held him up, those chains were the only things stopping him from falling face first onto the bed.

"His capacity for pain is higher than I thought it would be, given the man before," Trevor said.

"I don't think that he realizes how high it is. I know that between his two jobs, Spencer has little free time but one night a weekend, when he is home, he needs to come here. You two need to get to the depth of his masochism and figure out what the stopping point for you is on your sadism. You do well with Trevor, but this is different." Broderick sounded like Aaron, knowing that no one was going to say no to him and making it understood that it wasn't a possibility either.

Spencer expected to be released, but he wasn't. Instead, Aaron got up onto the bed and rested along Spencer's back. Spencer's neck was relaxed, his head resting on the padded section. There was a clink of metal, and Spencer figured it was something to do with the chain, but his arms weren't released. Spencer's head was gently tipped back by a hand working between the headboard and his neck and raising up to grab his chin.

"Open your eyes, Spencer," Aaron commanded. Spencer did and he realized that a mirror was in front of him. It hadn't been there before, but he could see himself with Aaron behind him and a dark purple collar was half wrapped around his neck. Spencer relaxed back into Aaron's body and exhaled. He wanted that collar on him so bad. Spencer almost didn't have words for it. He swallowed and nodded.

"Yes, please, Sir," Spencer begged.

Aaron raised his other hand and worked on the metal fixture of the collar. Spencer didn't breathe as he felt the leather on his neck, felt the claim that the collar was on him. Spencer didn't want to ever take it off. He felt better than he had since he had come back to this world, safer, and more grounded.

Hands on Spencer's arms, Aaron released him, first one wrist and then the next, the cuffs stayed on. Aaron held Spencer to him as Spencer's words started and didn't stop. Spencer started at the beginning and just spoke, telling everything that was upsetting him and everything that he thought should have. When Spencer's words were done, he felt exhausted. Aaron laid him down on the bed with no shirt on him but covered his lower half with a blanket. Aaron straddled his waist and started to rub something into his back. The aches that were starting from the flogging faded under the hands that worked him over. He turned his head to look and saw that the other three people in the room were looking at him in thinly veiled horror.

Spencer realized that he had talked about every single person that the other Spencer had killed. Spencer tensed, but Aaron laid a hand on the back of his neck until he calmed down.

"Don't worry. They aren't going to say a thing, Spencer. We can trust them. Carlie knows that punishing you for something would not help at all given that you are not the person who committed those crimes. That man is long gone from here. Just close your eyes and rest." Aaron slid off of Spencer's ass and covered him up the remainder of the way.

"That was who we had in here?" Carlie asked.

"From what Spencer has said about the other Aaron from that world, the other Spencer was a leashless monster who had started out only taking care of threats to the public that were escaping justice and those that were a threat to him to just taking care of anything he saw as a threat. When Spencer realized that the other Spencer had killed children, he was shocked as kids were out of the scope of what he did in the other world. I don't ever want to visit the place where Spencer was for those months."

"You are correct that turning Spencer over for those crimes would serve no one. I just...I'm shocked that he was able to act normal."

"I think that he excelled at blending in with the public."

Spencer closed his eyes and finally did what Aaron wanted him to do, which was sleep. Aaron crawled into bed with him, wrapping his arms around Spencer after affixing the chains to Spencer's cuffs to the bed, the chains extended again.

"I love you," Aaron whispered as he pressed his forehead into the back of Spencer's head.

"I love you, too." Spencer meant the words more than he had any of the other times that he had said them. When a reverent kiss was placed on the back of his neck, Spencer gave in and slept.

PAGE_BREAK: PageBreak

# Mirror World

Spencer watched and played with his prey for several more weeks. Curtis was becoming more and more unhinged at the psychological torture that Spencer was inflicting on the man. His latest was the hidden speaker he had installed in Curtis’s bedroom. At night when Curtis would be asleep, Spencer would have a recording play of Foyet’s voice pieced together from archival voice and internet recordings. Some nights Curtis would be curled up on his bed, crying for the person he had lost. Spencer was keeping him so distracted that Curtis didn’t have a chance to go out and kill. He second guessed himself, making himself crazy on top of what Spencer was doing to him.

The last part of his plan was coming together nicely. All Spencer had to do was put the finishing touches on the cabin, and everything would be ready. Right now, though he had story time with Aria and Hayden. Spencer smiled as he left his secret room and went to the nursery, where his daughter crawled into his lap.

“Papa, can we read this one?” Aria held out The Swiss Family Robinson. Jack had watched the movie with the kids, and Aria wanted to read the book. Spencer opened it and in a clear voice began to read.

Later that night, lying in bed with Aaron wrapped around him, cuffs on his wrists, Spencer didn’t think his life could get any more perfect than it was. Those six months from the other reality were fading from his mind. He knew there was never a chance of going back there, which he was more than grateful for. He knew he was never taking his life, the life that Aaron had given him, for granted ever again.

The next few days were a flurry of activity as cases heated up, the end of the school year was coming up and plans for a family vacation were made. Aaron was in the papers again for one of the bigger cases, where he won, of course.

Jackson made his announcement about the folding tablets, and presales were already exceeding expectations. Spencer put out a couple of new papers, and finished another degree, all the while, Curtis was losing his mind. Finally, Spencer knew it was time.

Taking his kit with him, Spencer broke into Curtis’ house once again. Making his way to the bedroom, he found the man sleeping. Giving him the shot with his own cocktail of drugs, he knew Curtis was going to be out for hours. Driving his car up to the house, Spencer kept the door open and quickly got the man out to his vehicle, dumping him in the front seat. Spencer had spent enough time in this neighborhood that he knew most of the neighbors kept to themselves. The one very nosy old lady, Spencer had already taken care of. She had no family, and no friends, only cats. The 911 call to alert the authorities that the lady had, had a heart attack came from her own phone. Spencer disguised his voice just enough that the 911 operator wouldn’t think anything of it.

Driving to the cabin, Spencer was whistling to himself. He felt good, he felt like he was in the final stretch, and when he got to the cabin, taking Curtis inside, Spencer stripped the man naked and strapped him to the table that was bolted to the left wall, Spencer sat down with a work tablet and waited for Curtis to wake-up.

“Wh-where am I?”

“Somewhere no one with ever finds you. Once I’m done with you, no one will even care. You have no friends, no family, no one to miss you. How does it feel, Curtis? To be all alone, scared, worried you’ll never get your life back.”

Curtis tried to look around the cabin, horror on his face. Pictures of his victims next to those that were his ultimate targets were plastered all around the room.

“You. Hotchner’s little whore,” Curtis sneered. “You killed him. You killed the man I loved.”

“Who left you behind,” Spencer whispered in the man’s ear.

Curtis spat in Spencer’s face, but it didn’t make Spencer angry. He kept his cool and smiled as he scraped the knife over Curtis’ face.

“Struggle all you want. I learned from the best.” Spencer worked on laying out all his tools. He grabbed the shaving cream which made Curtis frown up at him. “I really hate hair when I’m working on someone, so please hold still. I would hate for things to get messy so soon.” Spencer’s smile was just this side of mad and Curtis looked at him, fear gripped him for the first time.

By the time Spencer was done, running his hands along the man’s legs, over his stomach and up to his face, he felt Curtis shiver under his fingers.

“Now, where do I start?” Spencer asked after he secured Curtis’ head and gagged his mouth. It was just enough that Spencer could still hear the man scream.

Picking up one of the knives, Spencer looked once more at Curtis, the man’s eyes huge with fear as he tried to struggle. Spencer just lifted the corner of his mouth and got to work.

______

Spencer arrived home several hours later after cleaning up, planting the evidence in Curtis’ house, and leaving the suicide note in plain sight for anyone to find. Upon seeing Aaron when he walked in the door, he didn’t say anything as he pulled him into the bedroom and shut and locked the door.

“Fuck me,” Spencer’s breath was uneven, he was so hard it was bordering on painful.

“Spencer?”

“Curtis is gone. Please,” Spencer fell to his knees and looked up at Aaron’s face. “Fuck me, use me, now.”

Aaron knew exactly what it was that Spencer wanted. It wasn’t long before they were both naked, and Spencer’s ass was on fire from the spanking Aaron had given him. Slicking up his cock, Aaron pushed in hard, knowing Spencer wanted the pain. He cried out as he fisted his hands in the sheets below.

Spencer babbled, telling Aaron everything he did, every fear response from Curtis, every shake of the man’s body till he was reduced to nothing. Aaron closed his eyes, panting hard, fucking Spencer with zero finesse. It was a hard coupling with hands wrapped around Spencer’s waist, Aaron pushing and pulling the man back and forth on his cock.

“Come, Pet. Come now,” Spencer cried out as he spilled onto the bed underneath him, Aaron quickly following as he shoved his cock in one last time as he came hard.

The shower was quick, then they settled in bed for a few moments.

“You made sure to cover your tracks?”

“Yes, Sir. He won’t hurt anyone, especially us ever again.”

“Good. From now on, we’ll have to watch what we do, Spencer.”

“Why? Sir?”

“I’m considering something. If I do, all ties to anything criminal will have to be broken.”

Spencer sat up and laid a hand on Aaron’s chest.

“There isn’t much left. Not after Jackson came to live with us. I’ve been able to move things around. Making sure we are no longer tied to certain organizations. Even my connection with Jinto, no one will think that we are connected to the Yakuza in any way.”

“Yes, he assured me that his activities in the Yakuza are kept very quiet. To everyone else, he is a business man.”

“You don’t want to say what’s going on?”

“Not yet. It’s still just something I’m thinking of. It doesn’t mean that you won’t still be my most valuable tool, and it also doesn’t mean I’ll stop you from doing what needs to be done.” Aaron threaded his hands through Spencer’s hair, and the powerful emotions that swamped him had him hard all over again. “Now, clean me up and use that pretty mouth of yours on me. If you are perfect for me, I’ll keep you wanting till Jackson gets home and he will be more than happy to give you more.”

Spencer groaned and knew it was going to be an excellent day.

* * *

Spencer watched Tony and JJ. In fact, he had been watching JJ for a while now and noticed that she looked happier than she had been in a very long time. Though Tony was still unsure about them, he loved JJ, and that was the only thing keeping the man alive in Spencer’s mind.

“So, Tony why don’t you tell me all about your plans for out JJ.” Dave eyed the man also. He knew all about Tony’s father. There wasn’t much that went on in the New York to DC mob world that Rossi didn’t know. He still had powerful connections, though he didn’t dabble in that world.

“I think that’s something I should discuss with JJ, don’t you think.”

“Just want to make sure our girl knows what she’s getting into.” Dave didn’t let his gaze leave Tony as the man narrowed his eyes at Dave.

“And just what are you getting at?”

“Dave, leave it alone,” Aaron growled at the man.

“It’s okay, Aaron.” JJ turned to Dave and smiled a smile that told everyone at the table she was close to being pissed off, but not quite yet. “Dave, whatever happens in my personal life is none of your business. And if you are referring to Senior, Tony wants nothing to do with him. So, back off.”

Dave raised his hands and sat back in his chair taking bites of his steak. “Okay, I’ll back off. Doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you.”

JJ’s expression softened, and Spencer watched the whole interplay, while he stayed silent.

“You have nothing to worry about, Rossi. JJ is right. My father isn’t welcome anywhere near my son or me. I know what he is and he is one of the reasons I went into law enforcement.”

“From what Alex has told me, the FBI seems to be a good fit for you, Tony.” Spencer finally looked up at the man and smiled at him.

“Yes. The BAU under Callahan has really changed. We’ve been focusing on some of the more extreme cases, much like how the unit started. We have already solved a couple of cold cases as well.”

Aaron curled his lip up in a smile as he looked at the young couple.

“JJ’s happy, that’s all that counts.” The tone brokered no arguments with anyone at the table. JJ smiled at him, and Tony just lifted a brow. Aaron knew the man was still trying to find something, anything on him, but he wasn’t going to find it. Especially now that he and Spencer were working to divest themselves of the darker side of their businesses.

The table fell silent, and no one knew what to say to that. Everyone concentrated on their own food, then when done they scattered to different parts of the house, or went out altogether.

Jackson arrived home and looked even happier than he had been when he left earlier in the day.

“The tablets are an official hit. They are a real competition for the IPad and the Google. Early reviews claim it's their number one pick, and CNET gave it outstanding marks. They put the one we gave them through all its paces and declared the folding screen is ingenious.” Jackson pulled out a chair, sitting next to JJ and grabbed a plate. People passed food around as well as congratulations.

With Jackson’s announcement, the tension in the room broke, and dinner became a more lively affair. After, everyone left to do their own things, with Jackson pulling his lovers into their bedroom.

“Now, what have you two been up to.”

Spencer told him most of what happened with Curtis. He left out the gorier details, he didn’t think Jackson wanted to know about the torture.

Aaron told him what he had told Spencer earlier in the day.

“I think this is cause for celebration. Aaron told me that you were a little jealous about a certain piercing?” Jackson cupped Spencer’s cock.

“Yes.”

“I think you deserve it, especially for getting rid of our little problem. How about you and I go do that tomorrow. You can pick out exactly how you want it, too.”

“Yes,” Spencer’s breathing shallowed as Jackson played with him for a little bit.

“Beautiful.” Jackson kissed Spencer then left the room. He had plans to make for them.

Spencer moved to the bed where Aaron had been watching them. Curling up in Aaron’s arms, Spencer sighed and tried to tamp down on his anticipation for the next day. The night was spent watching movies, and being together as the strange little family that they were.

__________

Walking into the tattoo and piercing parlor, Spencer was trying to calm his anticipation. He had thoroughly washed after reading up on procedures and aftercare for the Prince Albert piercing. He knew the piercer would also talk him through it. They talked for a few minutes with the piercer, who gave Spencer a chart of the available genital piercing. While he was intrigued by some of the other’s he wanted the PA. Though, he kept the idea of the frenum piercings in mind for later. He shivered at the thought of a run of them along his penis.

“He’s a hardcore masochist. I’ve heard that some men can leak or even orgasm during the procedure. While he’s trained, there are times that he’s cum on pain alone.” Jackson told the piercer.

“Don’t worry, we get a lot of men and women who lean towards masochism. I’m very experienced on how to handle it. I promise, nothing will go wrong. After the piercing, it needs to heal though, so unless he can dry orgasm, no sex, and no ejaculations for at least six weeks. We don’t want any infection to set in.”

Jackson took Spencer’s hand, then cupped his cheek.

“Think you can handle it?”

“Yes, Dominae.”

“Okay. Do you want me to be with you?”

“Can he be there?”

“Of course. You’re also a sub?”

“Yes.”

“I will also include a pamphlet on preventing sub drop while the piercing heals. It was put together by one of the best Domme’s I know. She has had a lot of experience in helping subs though healing of genital piercings. This can be very intense, so just relax. I’ll give a local anesthetic, no arguments. It serves to keep the penis soft. If you are hard, there can be complications. Now, why don’t you go back, strip off pants and underclothes, then we’ll get started.”

Spencer was a little disappointed. He had wanted to feel it all, but then he could understand the reasons. He settled in the chair, with Jackson looking on. The local ended up just helping to keep him soft, it didn’t block all pain, and when the piercing needle started to go through, Spencer gasped and grabbed the arms of the chair. He could feel some, and it was a rush. With the anesthetic, he couldn’t control his muscles, and he leaked quite a lot. The technician was experienced and skilled that it was over fairly quickly. Spencer shuddered through a dry orgasm, just barely holding back on a release.

Jackson’s eyes glazed over just a bit watching. He knew Spencer had come, but he wasn’t going to punish his sub for it. They were warned, beforehand. The piercer was cleaning Spencer up, then handed the paperwork to Jackson, while the technician helped Spencer into his clothes.

Getting a blissed out Spencer to the car wasn’t anything that Jackson wasn’t used to. He was often like this after a night at the club. They got home, and Jackson put Spencer to bed.

The next few weeks were going to be tough, but Jackson knew how to take care of his men, he would see them through because the end result was going to be more than worth it.

PAGE_BREAK: PageBreak

# Our World

Spencer looked at himself in the mirror. Aaron had pick it out, taking Spencer to a shop that he had never set foot inside. Spencer recognized the label as one that the other Spencer had shopped at. The attendant who helped them had looked at Spencer like she worshiped the ground that he walked on but she never said a thing and Spencer focused more on Aaron. The dressing room that they had been shown to was very fancy, and Spencer didn't like standing on the mirrored dais with Aaron sitting in a chair behind him, watching him dress and undress in shirts and pants while the attendant found whatever Aaron was telling her that he wanted.

"Two months, Spencer," Aaron said when the attendant left the room again without Aaron telling her anything other than to leave and he would let her know when he wanted her back. Spencer frowned at Aaron but didn't turn around to face him, he was still trying to figure out if he liked how he looked or not. The scrape of Aaron's chair told Spencer that Aaron was standing up. He looked back to see Aaron with a deep blue vest in his hand. Spencer's pants were black, a soft material that Spencer liked the feel of on his skin, especially his hairless skin. He knew part of why so many of his clothes were a lot softer than he had worn before. The feel of the more delicate clothes on his legs and even his hairless arms was nearly arousing if he focused on it too much.

"Two months what, Aaron?" Spencer asked. He had a feeling he knew part of what Aaron was talking about, but he didn't want to guess at the rest of it.

"Two months since I put that collar on you. Two months of us as we are. Tonight is more than just a night at the club."

Spencer just raised an eyebrow at Aaron. Aaron smiled at him and held up the vest for him to slip his arms into. The vest looked good pair with the black pants and the near bright colored purple shirt that he was wearing. The blue was so dark that it was almost black but in the lighting of the club it's true nature would be on display. There were metallic strands of blue wove into the fabric, and when he breathed, those stands became shiny. Spencer looked at himself. Aaron stepped closer and plastered himself along Spencer's back as he buttoned up the vest on Spencer. Aaron's erection pressed into Spencer and Spencer wanted to turn and drop to his knees.

Trevor had been helping them work through all of their issues. Spencer felt on firmer ground than he ever had been, even in the other world near the end of his stay there. Spencer's personal life had settled down in a way that Spencer hadn't even realized that it truly needed. Spencer's trust in Aaron wasn't wholly where it needed to be, but it was building up slowly. Aaron had never once made Spencer feel like he was horrible for that slow build up of trust.

Tonight at the club was an exhibition, a couple from England. A special treat it was called. The club was going to be on lockdown because it was going to be more than just a whips and chains event, Trevor had said. It was a small event, and only members would be allowed to watch. It was why Aaron and Spencer were picking out a new outfit. There was little to do. The night at the club was to start in just an hour and a half, just enough time for them to get to the club after picking out an outfit and getting settled in for the before dinner drinks.

"What is tonight?"

"Trevor talked to me last night when he called about the exhibition this evening. He agreed with me when I brought up that sex is okay to put back on the table. So this evening, we are going to watch the English couple exhibit for us, we are going to go upstairs and pick two implements." Aaron dropped his hands down to Spencer's hips and pulled him into Aaron's body even tighter. "And when I am done making you scream, I'm going to fuck you."

Spencer shivered as he looked into Aaron's eyes, seeing the hunger there and wanting it. He wanted all of it.

"Yes."

"You look magnificent," Aaron said as he wrapped his hands farther around Spencer's hips, moving up to hold him close by his chest. "You look like something out of every gay man's fantasy. So, Spencer are you ready to head out?"

"Yes. I like this one. I saw you kept a few of the others that I didn't like."

"I kept the ones you didn't like for tonight. I didn't keep anything that you hated. You now that Jackson finds it funny that you use the money that he pays you to buy clothes right?"

Spencer nodded and laughed.

"I'll have the clothes delivered to the apartment. I told Trevor that the next time I wanted more than just twenty-four-hour notice on events like this."

"He said that the couple was on a spontaneous trip to the US and that the Sub doesn't like to fly so getting him here again was going to be impossible, so the Dom is taking advantage of that. I'm looking forward to it. Trevor said that the Dom is a true sadist and the Sub just wallows in the pain."

"You sound excited about it," Aaron said, but he stepped back. He waved his hand towards the door, and Spencer moved that way. Aaron's hand rested on Spencer's back as Spencer passed the older man. The owner of the shop was the one running the register, he smiled at Spencer with a very fond look. It seemed that the other Spencer had made himself very known at the shop. Spencer looked back at the attendant, seeing her looking at him. Spencer smiled at her, and she smiled back. When she shifted her neck, Spencer saw evidence of a bite mark on her throat. He wondered if that was what had happened. Had the other Spencer cultivated a relationship with her that was something more than just being a customer but wasn't intimate like Spencer was with his Aaron? He could see Spencer treating her like a little duckling and using her at the same time.

Aaron tapped Spencer's wrist, and he turned to hand over his credit card. It was one of those fancy ones that made some women and even men swoon. Spencer didn't care, but Jackson had wanted him to use it. The balance on it was automatically taken out of his bank account every month, so Spencer didn't have to worry about that. Spencer knew the actualities of it, but he didn't care to ever think about it. The owner's eyes widened as he swiped the card manually. Spencer saw that there was no place for a customer to swipe the card. One of those things that put the shop up a notch, making it seem high lifestyle.

"Thank you, Doctor Reid. We will have the other purchases couriered over as soon as possible. Agent Hotchner's eye was perfect in finding a perfect outfit for your outing tonight."

Aaron just hummed in an answer as Spencer signed the receipt. Aaron tugged him to towards the exit of the shop. The shop was within a nice walking distance of the club, enough time to enjoy the walk and get there for the drinks.

"Are we taking a cab home?" Spencer asked.

"Carlie is pulling out the stops, hired a company to drive everyone home. Either for the sex to happen at home or after the sex had already happened."

"And we are going to be in the second category?"

"If that's what you want," Aaron said, but it didn't sound like he was unsure at all.

Spencer stopped walking and placed a kiss on the side of Aaron's cheek. Aaron had been reading Spencer right in that he was trusting Aaron with almost all that he was. There was just a small piece of his submission that he wasn't ready to give over. Aaron pressed a kiss to Spencer's forehead and started to walk them forwards.

When they arrived outside of the club twenty minutes later, Spencer realized that they were the first to arrive. Broderick was just arriving as well.

"You guys are early."

"Spencer wants a good seat, and Trevor said that it was first come, first serve." Aaron gave one of the smiles that he gave rarely but had become part of him more as he had settled down into his dominant personality. The smile made Spencer's stomach flip. Aaron allowed Spencer to enter the club first but entering before Broderick.

"That seats are that, but Trevor already saved you two a good seat. Twelve pairings are joining us tonight, and you two have the best seats." Broderick slipped around them when the hall widened some at one point. Spencer followed him into the main area of the club to find the interior vastly changed from normal. The standard stage was empty and instead a new fixture was in the center of the half circle the regular booths made. The tables that usually took up that area were gone. Spencer felt his blood start to pump as he took in the stand in the middle. Spencer took a step towards it but stopped. Spencer looked back at Aaron.

"Go," Aaron said with a smile on his face.

Spencer moved over towards the chains that were dangling from the ceiling. There was a hook in the floor that Spencer had never noticed before. He mapped the place in his mind and realized that a table usually covered that. The chains were heavy. Spencer calculated the height of the Sub who was going to be hung from those. Given a variance in actual arm length, the Sub had to be between five foot seven and eleven. There were two other hooks on the floor that Spencer was sure that the chains from them would be hooked to the ankle cuffs. Spencer closed his eyes, anticipating watching what he knew was going to come from the exhibition and from Aaron after.

"Hard players huh?" a voice asked, pulling Spencer from his thoughts. He turned to see that two other couples had arrived. Spencer moved over to the booth that he knew was going to be the one they were going to sit in and relaxed down into it. Spencer thought about his newest paper he was working on for the APA. He didn't stop until Aaron sat down beside him.

"Antisocial?" Aaron asked, a small amount of concern in his voice.

"More that I don't want to ruin my headspace." Spencer looked at Aaron who was sitting in the booth like he owned it. Spencer hummed and moved toward the other man. Aaron leaned back a little more to allow Spencer to sit in his lap. Two glasses of wine were set down on the table by a waiter. Spencer looked at the two glasses and then at Aaron. Aaron though was only looking at the waiter. The waiter touched the foot of the glass that was closest to Aaron. The headspace that Spencer had built up for the coming exhibition and what was to follow left him and all he felt was cold. "Aaron?"

"Carlie makes sure that there is a stock of non-alcoholic wines in the club for those who don't want to drink but also don't want to broadcast it. That's why the waiter made sure I knew which one was mine. I don't ever want you to feel bad about drinking any wine when we are out. You like it and shouldn't stop drinking it because of me. Now when it comes to big celebrations, I will imbibe champagne, in moderation. I've already made the promise to you that if I ever do drink again, if you ask me to stop, I will."

Spencer turned his head kissed Aaron, drawing him into a session that was a little closer to risque than Spencer normally would do. Spencer kept it up until the sound of a plate being set down sounded. Aaron pulled back, but Spencer could feel the reluctance. Spencer turned back to the table to see that it wasn't finger foods like Aaron usually ordered for them. Aaron manipulated Spencer around to where he was looking at the stage. He spread Spencer's legs to either side of his own, pulling Spencer's ass into his cock and Spencer could feel that Aaron was already half-hard inside of his pants.

"All you are allowed to do is drink your wine. I don't care when you do, but you are limited to three glasses of it. The waiter will stop and use either water or the bottle of non-alcohol wine that was opened for me."

"Yes, Sir. I'd rather have water after my three glasses."

"Of course." Aaron pressed a kiss into the side of Spencer's neck. He reached around Spencer and picked up the fork that had been set down on the pristine napkin on the table. There was a second napkin that Aaron picked up and laid over Spencer's lap, to keep his clothes clean, just in case. Aaron cut into the cheese covered roll before scooping up that bite and putting it to Spencer's lips. Spencer took the bite, savoring the taste of it as he watched Aaron take a bite for himself. The meat inside the tortilla was spicy and just to the side of almost too much so, but the cheese cut that. Every other bite was Spencer's, and when the food was gone, Spencer was disappointed.

"What's next?"

"I don't know. Carlie set the menu, and the only thing I got to choose was if I wanted all finger foods or not. I think I like this, watching your lips wrap around the fork, feeling the pull on it as I take it out of your mouth, watching those lips pucker as I do. I'm sure that some of the food will be finger foods as it's easier for feeding. I was told that dessert was something that you would love."

"Carlie loves food."

"Yes, she does, and I know that she is the one that picks the head chefs." Aaron lifted up his wine to take a drink, and so Spencer did as well. "You don't have to wait for me to drink before you do as well."

"I know, I actually forgot to take a drink. I like watching you feed yourself as well."

"I know you do. Why do you think that I chose to feed you at all? I do like to do it on occasion but this is is going to be a special night."

"You don't have to do all of this."

"Yes, I do because you are special to me Spencer and for a while, I had trouble expressing that. This is our night. We are going to watching something wonderful then I'm going to make you fly before I fuck you. I want us both to remember this night for the rest of our lives."

"Aaron," Spencer said, exhaling. Aaron wrapped his arm around Spencer's waist after setting down his wine glass. He kept that arm around Spencer's waist as the second course was set down. It was little cups of soup. There were six, two of each kind. Spencer sat a little straighter, as did Aaron as Aaron picked up the first one. There was enough for two mouthfuls in each bowl, and Aaron fed Spencer all of the first bowl before picking up his own to drink.

The waiter brought the main course before Aaron was done with his last bowl. The waiter waited on Aaron to set it down before he cleared away the plate with the bowls. Spencer looked out for the first time and saw that every table had a waiter or waitress waiting on them. He looked back down at the plate and saw already cut up meat as well as chunk vegetables. The smell wafting off of them had Spencer's mouth watering. He brought his wine up as Aaron picked up the clean fork that the waiter had set down and speared a piece of beet from the plate. Spencer didn't really like beets, but he opened his mouth as the beet brushed his lips. It was perfectly tender, and the sauce it had been cooked in removed of the taste that he didn't like about beets.

The main dish passed quickly with Spencer settling into Aaron's lap more and more. The lighting in the room was dropping in small increments that Spencer really hadn't noticed until he shut his eyes, opening his mouth when he felt food brush it. When no more food came, Spencer opened his eyes and saw the light had dropped. The dinner plates were cleaned, and the waiter filled up Spencer's wine glass with his last glass. The bottle was passed to the waiter beside them as another brought a bottle to fill up Aaron's. A glass of water with ice was set on the table next, on Spencer's side.

"Mister Broderick wanted me to let you know that when the dessert plates had been cleared, Master J is going to start."

"Thank you," Aaron said.

Spencer closed his eyes again and lifted his wine glass. He drained over half of it and set it back down. Spencer smelled sweetness and just a hint of coffee before something was touching his lips. He opened them, and Aaron set something down inside of his mouth. Spencer closed his mouth over the food, catching just the edge of Aaron's thumb. The low rumble in the chest behind him to Spencer that it wasn't an accident. Spencer moaned at the taste of what he thought was a cannoli came over his taste buds, but instead of the normal cream, it was a coffee flavored cream. When Spencer swallowed the last of what was in his mouth, another touched his lips. Spencer opened, and when he closed it, Aaron's thumb was half inside as well. Spencer sucked on it as Aaron drew it out.

"Enjoy that Spencer," Aaron whispered in Spencer's ear. Aaron's hand moved from Spencer's side to the inside of his thigh. The hand squeezed, and Spencer started to chew faster. Spencer swallowed and finished off his wine, setting the glass down. Aaron laid his other hand on Spencer's other thigh, squeezing even tighter, pulled Spencer's legs apart just a little more.

"Are you not going to eat any?"

"My dessert will come later," Aaron said before he laid a bite on the side of Spencer's neck. "You are the only sweet thing that I want."

The click of a light had Spencer opening his eyes to see that all of the lights in the booths were off and there was only a single spotlight high above where the chains were. The soft click of shoes on the tile floor had Spencer trying to see through the spotlight but he couldn't. When finally the couple was visible, Spencer gasped. The Sub was naked except for the emerald green cuffs on his wrists and ankles and the collar. The Dom behind him was dressed in impeccably tailored suit dark gray in color. The vest underneath was black leather and fit him like a glove. A tie was tucked into the vest, emerald green in color, matching the cuffs and collar on his Sub and the fitted dress shirt that the Dom was wearing.

Nothing was said to the Sub or the spectators as the Dom hooked the Sub up to the chains. One on each hand before the Sub raised them up over his head and the Dom tightened them. The next chain was linked to the collar before the Dom dropped into a crouch and fastened the feet. Spencer inhaled as the Dom stepped out of the light when he stood up, leaving his Sub with his back facing the room. Spencer could see a spider web of marks all over the Subs back, but the lines did not extend anywhere below his back or onto his arms at all. The Sub was very pale like he didn't go out into the sun much at all and it made his dark, messy hair stand out. The Dom was tanned and had blonde hair, a mess of contradiction that didn't end there. The Sub was lithe where the Dom was built. The light died, and another turned on. Blacklight. Down the middle of the Sub's back were three numbers. Spencer didn't understand what they meant. 007. Was this Sub the Dom's seventh Sub and he expected to need three numbers to cover every single Sub he planned to own. There was a spider web of more tattoos down the Sub's buttocks and legs, looking like a computer motherboard. A table was set down, from the sound it was empty. Someone else moved behind the Sub and away. The clatter of a metal tray sounded next, and Spencer could see just on the edge of the black light's reach a Q on a neck. The light turned on again, and Spencer realized that it was on the Dom's neck.

"What fluids show up under the black light?" Aaron asked, his voice just small enough to where Spencer could hear him.

"Sweat, saliva, urine, and semen. Semen is the brightest. Old blood and wiped away blood can be seen but not fresh blood."

"Master J, right, that's what the waiter said?" Aaron asked.

"Yes." Spencer wondered at the Q on the man's neck. Whether it was something personal or the nickname of the Sub. If it was, that changed Spencer's thought on the numbers on the Sub's back. Something niggled at the back of Spencer's mind, from the other world. An email that has crossed his inbox that he hadn't understood and had ended up sending to Aaron. Talk of an agent in Her Majesty's Secret service. His call number had been 007. Spencer wondered if that was who this man was. It fit as he was from England.

The flogger that J pulled out had Spencer squirming. He could see the metal tips of it in the light. If that was what J was starting with, Spencer was excited about the whole exhibition. Spencer was a little upset that he wouldn't be able to see the face of the Sub while he was being put through his paces but he could live with that.

J cracked the flogger through the air, and the Sub didn't even twitch. He was breathing normally, the in and out of his chest showing that. Nothing was said as J just barely kissed the Sub's back. Spencer could see the small red lines forming. There was nothing from the crowd and nothing from the Sub. Spencer was finding it thrilling. There hadn't been an exhibition like this in the other world.

The next hit of the flogger was more over the whole of the Sub's back, it still just rose welts where the metal tips hit, but Spencer could tell that J knew exactly what he was doing. Aaron's hands tightened on his thighs again, spreading his legs just a little bit more, making his body ache from the pressure. Spencer squirmed but not to get away but to want more. Spencer realized then that the Sub was standing on his own two feet and hadn't swayed at all. His hands were gripping the chains attached to his cuffs, but he wasn't supporting himself on them at all.

Spencer watched as J hit the Sub with the flogger three more times before the fourth was a harder hit that drew blood. The Sub shuddered, and Spencer realized that he came from the drawing of blood. Spencer heard and felt Aaron inhale at the move, his fingers digging into Spencer's skin. It was hard, not to cry out in pleasure at each crack of the flogger that came after.

When J was done with the flogger, he dropped it into a basket that Spencer hadn't noticed under the table. The table was half in the dark, half in the light, adding to the mystery of it all. The next item that he grabbed was a short whip. He didn't even do a test swing before he cracked it on the Sub's body. Spencer shivered as his mind supplied the arc of the tip of the whip wrapping around the front of the Sub's body. The light disappeared again, and Spencer bit his lip to hold in his gasp.

The Sub was glowing slightly, from the sweat all over his body. The tattoo stood out, shining different than the rest of his body. There were hints of a sweat at J's temples, but that was the only place. The floor in front of the Sub though showed where his leaking cock was dripping, but there was no evidence of ejaculation. The crack of the whip and the sound it made when it hit flesh were the only sounds in the room, the darkness was heightening Spencer's anticipation of the light coming back on.

Spencer watched as the movement was just visible, J moving around the Sub, blocking and unblocking the view of him from the crowd. Spencer could see a hand smearing the sweat on the Sub's body before the rattle of the chains said that the Sub was moving. With there being nothing, Spencer heard the water bottle lid crack open. Spencer wasn't sure if the dark was for the crowd or the participants. To give them the thought that they were alone for the health check that happening. The whisper of words was hard to miss, even if they were unintelligible.

The light came back on, and this time the Sub was facing them, and J was behind him. The Sub's leaking cock was visible, and there was no cock cage on it. The chains were raised up just enough to where the Sub's toes were skimming the floor. Spencer saw that there were leather loops in the chain and the Sub was holding onto those instead of the chain. In J's hand was a paddle, it was a simple one, but Spencer knew that no matter how simple, those hurt and felt wonderful.

J never looked up at the people who were watching. His eyes never left his Sub's body. Spencer's hands needed something to touch, to grab, so he moved them off of his lap and reached back to grab Aaron's hips. Aaron bit at Spencer's neck, leaving at least a mark from it. It ramped up Spencer's arousal from aching to painful, but he knew that he wasn't going to come for a while yet.

The Sub shuddered through another dry orgasm, the only crack in his silent armor were the pants he was letting out as he slumped into the chains even more. J stepped up behind him, wrapping an arm around his side and settling his hand on the Sub's stomach. Spencer saw that he was wearing a glove of some kind. A single word was whispered in the Sub's ear, and the dark haired man nodded. The hand on his stomach curled, and Spencer watched as five lines of blood appeared on his skin where the tips of the finger raked over it. Spencer could see scar lines from where it had been done before. Just like his back, the Sub's chest and stomach were the only areas with scars. This Sub adored pain and Spencer could see it in the way that as the blood started to drip from him onto the floor, the Sub relaxed even more. The gloved hand reached down and wrapped around the Sub's cock. As soon as the leather touched him, he shuddered through another dry orgasm.

"He's beautiful," Aaron whispered in Spencer's ear. Spencer didn't answer, entranced by the movement of the gloved hand as it moved up the Sub's chest. Only the thumb marked him this time. J stepped back from his Sub, reaching over and grabbing something from the table. Spencer knew it when it was fully brought into their vision. J was holding a cat o' nine tails, but like the flogger, it had metal tips, but those tips looked different. The first strike with it had the Sub's mouth falling open, but no sound came out. Spencer knew why they had only been shown the dark haired man's back before that point. It heightened what they were seeing now, even though other than breaths he was silent.

The tips of the cat wrapped around the Sub's chest and drew blood as J drew them away. The Sub opened his eyes, and Spencer could tell that he was unseeing. He was deep in subspace and was only feeling the high the pain was giving him. J brought the cat down over the Sub's back, but instead of coming from the side it came down. The Sub came with a single short cry, his release painting the floor in front of him. A prearranged strike meant that he could come. The lights dropped in the seconds that followed, Spencer's eyes were on the now brightly glowing floor. The rattle of the chains had Spencer turning his head back up, and he tried to spot what was happening. J was blocking most of the Sub's body, but Spencer could see the sub kneel. Even though it was dark and the sweat on the Sub's body was only lightly glowing, Spencer knew what was happening.

Aaron heightened Spencer's own enjoyment of watching and hearing a blowjob in the dark by cupping Spencer's cock in his pants. The Sub was nearly totally silent as he gave his Dom a blowjob. A different light turned on this time, and Spencer marveled at how well the whole thing had been planned. The light didn't show the Dom's face at all but was instead focused on the Sub. J's pants were only opened enough to allow his cock out while the rest of him was still as put together as he had been when he had come out. Spencer looked the Sub up and down, seeing that his hands were behind his back and he was steady on his knees. He wasn't sure if the couple had been together long or they just meshed perfectly. J came, and the only evidence was the fact that the Sub stopped moving and J's hand tightening in his hair.

All of the lights turned off, and the room was plunged into total darkness. Spencer didn't want to breathe, to disrupt the silence of the room. No one else moved until the clicking of J's heels disappeared. The full lights turned on, and Spencer blinked to clear his sight. Trevor was waiting by the doors that led to the upstairs. He looked a little star struck but waved Spencer and Aaron towards him. Spencer slid out of Aaron's lap, grabbing the table because he didn't trust his feet to hold him up at first. Aaron stood up as soon as Spencer cleared the table, his hand going to the small of Spencer's back in a possessive hold.

"What's wrong, Trevor?" Spencer asked when they got close.

"James was talking to Carlie before the exhibition, and it seems that Q wanted my attention tonight."

"If you have to go, we understand. Can't pass this up."

"Not that's not what I'm shocked about. No, Carlie told them about my obligations in watching a learning Dom. James agreed that I was needed there instead. However, when James was taking Q back to the room in the back to clean him up, Q asked about the couple in seat number seven. Q wanted to know what their plans were for after the exhibition because he wanted to watch."

"A little quid pro quo?" Aaron asked.

"Something like that."

"So who was sitting at table seven?" Spencer counted in his head, and it was either the table that he and Aaron had sat at or the one next to them. Given Trevor's shock, Spencer figured that it was them. He thought about it and knew that he wouldn't mind Q watching them play, and once he was gone in Subspace, he wouldn't care if they watched him get fucked by Aaron. Jack was with Jessica, and they were going to spend the night in one of the rooms above.

Trevor turned to Spencer, giving him a look that said he knew that Spencer had already figured it out.

"I would stay if you wanted as I know that you trust me. Master J and Q wouldn't want to do anything but watch, and possibly have couch sex. There is only one other couple that is staying the night here, the rest want to go home, so they don't have to wake up and leave."

Aaron didn't answer. Instead, he turned Spencer around to where they were face to face, an eyebrow quirked up, wanting Spencer's answer.

"They are both hot."

"Is that a yes?" Aaron asked.

"Yes, Sir and I don't think we will need Trevor. I trust that if you slip over that line and don't read me right, James will realize it. It took a long time for those two to get where they are."

"James and Q have been together for years. If James is to be believed, Q came on to him when he got a promotion at work, something about a two kill. I don't listen that hard to them, usually because I'm thinking about what I want Broderick to do to me. If you don't want me, I'm going to go and join Carlie and Broderick in the office. When I last heard, Broderick was fucking her over the desk."

"Go," Aaron said.

"James and Q are waiting in the large suite on the top floor." Trevor turned and left without even a backward glance. Aaron didn't give Spencer a chance to start to think about what they were doing before he pushed him into the elevator. Spencer didn't want to speak and ruin the mood, the talk with Trevor had cut a bit of the rush that he had going from watching, but it wasn't enough that he wasn't hard. When the door shut, Aaron pressed Spencer into the wall and started to kiss him. Hardness pushed into hardness, and Spencer gasped. Aaron took advantage of the open mouth and thrust his tongue inside. The trip up to the top floor felt like it took no time at all as the ding sounded for the doors opening.

Aaron pulled back when he felt like it, and if it had been any other elevator, the doors would have shut but the cars were programmed to stay open until someone pressed a floor button or the car was called back down. Spencer didn't even comment when instead of pushing Spencer out first, Aaron went first, his hand linked with Spencer's. The suite door was open, and Aaron paused at the entrance before he looked inside. Spencer only followed when Aaron pulled on his hand. James was seated on a couch with a tumbler in his hand with a single finger of what looked scotch in it. Q was standing up, a very loose linen shirt on his upper body and a pair of jeans on his bottom half.

"Q," James said.

Q turned around and smiled at them.

"Doctor Reid, Agent Hotchner, thank you for taking us up on our offer."

Aaron's hand tightened over Spencer's, and Spencer was afraid for a second that there was something more than just a couple that were friends of Carlie and Broderick were there for an exhibition. London and thoughts of someone to do with Doyle.

"You are scaring them, Q." James downed the drink in his hand and set it on the cart as he crossed the room, his hand out for a shake. "James Bond, MI6. Q recognized Doctor Reid from something that I tuned out, I know that it had to do with psychology, I was too busy watching his mouth move. He was giddy even before the exhibition about meeting him. I find myself unable to not make him happy. If you hadn't agreed to this, I would have asked Carlie to have her extend a lunch meeting." James turned around and held his hand out, drawing Q forward to settle in front of him. A show of trust, placing his Sub in front of him. Aaron tugged Spencer in front of him as well. Spencer looked at Aaron and waited for a nod before he stuck his hand out for Q to shake.

"I'm sorry to say that Q is the only name that I can give you," Q said as he squeezed Spencer's hand before letting go. Spencer didn't offer his hand to James and Q didn't to Aaron either.

"What exactly was on your plans for tonight because as I am sure you can tell, Q and I have no limits on what is and what isn't something that we do. I doubt you'll do anything that will upset us, but I want to make sure that you don't try and impress us. Q likes watching, no matter what is being done. There is another pair in the office with us, and the Sub just wants to be tied up and fucked for hours. Q's sat there for hours watching." James pressed a kiss into Q's neck as a pout started to form on Q's face.

"I doubt that it's what they will be doing if how hard Agent Hotchner was holding onto Doctor Reid's thighs was any indication. I think that if there hadn't been anyone else around, Agent Hotchner would have been sitting there with his cock inside of Doctor Reid."

"I'm sorry," James said, but he didn't look it at all.

"Don't worry," Aaron said. He wrapped his arms around Spencer's shoulders, moving one hand to raise up and brush a thumb down Spencer's lips. "His submission, in all aspects of his life, are yours, no one else's. I could never curb Spencer's mouth or his brain. You can call us Spencer and Aaron, no need for titles."

"Trevor said that room was set up for everything and anything that you would want for the night," James said as he pulled Q back towards where he had been sitting. Spencer looked more into that area of the room and saw the cross there. There was also the bag that he recognized as one that Aaron had sent ahead with Spencer's new cuffs in. Aaron shut the door to the room and flipped the light switch that meant that they were in a scene. It was rare for any reason to be had for someone to enter the room, but just in case the light told someone to enter with caution.

Spencer turned to face Aaron, putting the thoughts of the fact that someone was watching out of his head. He didn't think about them any different than he thought about Trevor. Aaron stepped up and worked Spencer's tie loose first. Spencer didn't even hear Q come up behind him. Aaron handed the tie over Spencer's shoulder. Q helped Aaron strip Spencer, never touching his skin but taking each piece of clothing that Aaron took off of him. Each cuff appeared in Spencer's view after his arms were freed off all of their clothes. Pants were dropped as well as underwear before the ankle cuffs were wrapped around him. The rustle of clothes behind him told Spencer that James has moved, or possibly Q had joined him again but when he heard his belt moving that Q was setting things down on the chair on the side of the room.

Aaron walked with Spencer to the cross, kissing his left hand before affixing it to the left side of the cross. Aaron was going for having Spencer's arms stretched out as far as they could go. Aaron pressed in close after hooking up the right arm. Aaron trailed his hands down Spencer's arms, down his back, before settling on his hips. Spencer heard the chain rattle, and he looked down to see a hip strap going around him. Spencer settled down more as he leaned into the cross, wanting this. Aaron spread Spencer's legs a little bit more, attaching the cuffs to the cross at each ankle.

"What do you want?" Aaron asked as he straightened up. Aaron's hands touched him. Aaron was always touching him a lot before a scene.

"Paddle and flogger."

Aaron pressed a kiss into the back of Spencer's neck before the heat of him left. Spencer didn't look to see where Q had settled himself. Instead, Spencer closed his eyes. He settled down into himself. He knew that it was all to do with his headspace and with the exhibition before, it didn't take but a few seconds for Spencer to accept what was coming.

Spencer swore that he felt the air move before the paddle connected with his ass for the first time. Spencer hadn't heard Aaron tell him to count so he didn't worry about making his mouth and lungs work to where he could talk. Instead, Spencer just rode the high that the pain was starting to give him. He let it empty his brain of all thoughts except for being the best that he could be for Aaron. Everywhere else, Spencer had to be strong. He had to be the best or someone would undercut him. It wasn't life and death as the other world was, but it was bad enough. Spencer was allowed to be who he was in this room.

Time lost all meaning as swat after swat rained down on Spencer's skin. Every single one brought him closer and closer to the place he wanted to go, he fought giving into it, not wanting to go too far too soon but he skirted that area. Fingers on his skin had Spencer startling, but he thrust back into the hand when he realized that it was Aaron. Aaron's hand rubbed over both cheeks and even his thighs, sparking delicious pain as he moved over the skin. Up the hand moved, up his back and buried itself in his hair. Aaron tilted Spencer's head back just enough to where Aaron could see his eyes. The other hand wrapped around his throat, fingertips resting on his pulse point, tracking it. The fingers rubbed after his pulse had been taken before moving away. Spencer heard a bottle lid being opened and turned his head in Aaron's hands to see Q standing there.

"Go ahead," Aaron said as he took another step in close to Spencer, plastering himself along Spencer's back. Q slipped a straw into the bottle before he held it up for Spencer to take a drink. Spencer only took a little bit of the liquid inside before he unwrapped his lips from around the straw. The hand in his hair tightened just to the point that it cut his rush some with too much pain, too sharp and too much. Spencer sought out the straw again and drank half of the bottle. He was afraid to take much more, and he hoped that Aaron wouldn't make him.

"Q," James called out. Q turned towards his Dom and nodded before setting the bottle down on the small table that it had come from. Aaron reached out and grabbed a bottle, draining it before he finally let go of Spencer's hair. Spencer turned towards where Q was sitting on James's lap, a near-perfect mimic of how Spencer and Aaron had been before but one of James's hands were entirely gone from sight. Spencer narrowed his eyes to see better, but he didn't find it until he watched as Q jerked a little in James's lap. The subtle tightening of his collar told Spencer that James had pulled on it and it seemed he was pulling on it, tightening the hold and slightly cutting off Q's breathing. Spencer wanted to watch them when they weren't putting on a show but were just being themselves in a sex scene. Even just the change in them from out in the room to where they were now was stark. The love for Q could be read all over James's face. It was a nice look from the cold man he had been out in the room.

Aaron stepped back from Spencer and Spencer turned his head to settle back into the scene. Aaron didn't even give Spencer a chance for anything before the flogger was drawn over the skin of his back. Spencer couldn't hold his mouth shut. He gasped before the next strike turned it into a keen. Aaron didn't give him any relief, the flogger going over his back, his ass, and his thighs time and again. Spencer was screaming and begging before long, but he wasn't fully into that place where he wanted to go.

Spencer let go as the pain washed over him time and again, giving him what he wanted, peace. Spencer felt his whole body relax, but he made sure that he didn't come because he hadn't been given permission. He could hear himself babbling. "Please, Sir. Please, I need...need...please."

"You are not allowed to come," Aaron said, his voice raspy with arousal and it only made Spencer ache to come even more. To hear that from him, to hear him so undone but what he was doing to Spencer, what he had reduced Spencer to.

"Please," Spencer begged, and instead of an answer, Aaron brought the flogger down on his back, hard. The tips of the flogger kissed around Spencer's side, Spencer could see blood where they had been. "SIR!" Spencer screamed.

Aaron was there, his hands undoing Spencer's ankles and waist before going to his hands. Spencer could barely stand from his want, but instead of making him walk, Aaron just turned him around and picked him up bridal style. Aaron laid Spencer down on the bed before he started to strip. There was no finesse to how he was removing his clothes. Spencer watched as first came the tie and then the belt but the jacket followed before Aaron even though to take off his shoes and socks. Pants and underwear followed before the rest of his upper body was stripped. Aaron was kneeling onto the bed as he ripped his undershirt off. Spencer held out his arms and Aaron settled on top of him.

Spencer reached out of the lube that he knew was there on the nightstand, nearly throwing it at his lover in his rush to have that cock inside of him. Aaron lubed up his cock before looking down at Spencer down there. Spencer shook his head back and forth. He wanted that feeling of being stretched. Spencer wanted to feel it for the rest of the night and part of the morning. Aaron slipped Spencer's ankles up to his shoulders before he lined up and thrust inside of Spencer in one single move. Spencer reached up and grabbed the headboard, threading his fingers around the bar that was at the perfect level for it. He didn't try and hold in the sound of the moan that built up in his throat. Aaron leaned forward, bending Spencer in half as he covered Spencer's mouth with his own, fucking him hard and fast. Spencer's back was rubbing against the top sheet, and Spencer tried to thrust down onto Aaron harder as the slight roughness of the sheet inflamed the welts on his body. He was sure that the top sheet had been picked for that reason by Carlie for the room. It ticked everything up another notch.

"Come," Aaron demanded when Spencer could feel his thrusts becoming erratic. Spencer didn't even think, his body and brain responded on their own. Spencer's vision blacked out as he felt his release shoot from his cock, smearing between their thrusting bodies. Aaron thrust into him two more times before he ripped his lips away from Spencer's, his teeth finding a home on Spencer's shoulder and he bit down. Spencer felt his cock release another dribble of fluid as the bit trigger him to go tense in too much pleasure.

Aaron stayed up, not resting his weight on Spencer right up until Spencer unhooked a hand to pull him down onto him. Aaron's weight settled on him, making Spencer close his eyes in muted pleasure. Aaron would force him up and into the bathroom when they could move. He would check him over and then sleep would come to them. Spencer didn't know if James and Q were still on the other side of the room, but he didn't care, he let him doze, the scent and feel of Aaron wrapped around him.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

# Our World

Spencer was tired. He was tired of work, and he was tired of Derek Morgan. It was Friday. Spencer was looking forward to a weekend spent with Aaron and Jack. Spencer fingered the collar at his neck. He wore it openly when he wasn't on a case. That had come at a cost to his personal privacy, but he would gladly pay it to not have to take it off. The psychology of it as well as what it actually meant to him and Aaron was thrown to the wolves to be analyzed, but Spencer won. The contract that Spencer and Aaron had to sign basically had them as husbands in the eyes of the FBI. Since Spencer had his own insurance, he wasn't added on as a secondary on Aaron's so that part was easy.

"You okay, Doc?" Wentworth asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired. I'm looking forward to not leaving the apartment at all until Sunday morning at the earliest."

"Sounds like mighty fine plans for the weekend."

"What about you?"

"What I do every day, Doc when Jackson isn't in town. I relax at home and read, watch TV, do whatever I want."

"You don't have a wife, husband, lover, or plaything to go home to?" Spencer asked.

"No, Sir. I like my life the way it is, alone. When I want something more, I find what I need. Jackson has access to a few of the nicer escort businesses, and I never lack for company when I want it."

"That's good. I know that Jackson's not that interested in a long term, monogamous relationship, so I am sure that he has an excellent list of friends for you." Spencer smiled at Wentworth as the driver looked back at him through the mirror. "This is a different town car than you usually use to drive me around."

"Yes, Doc. This is yours. That way I don't have to swap around the mini bar's contents. It's all ginger ale and seltzer water, and a few juice things for Jack. Jackson didn't want Agent Hotchner to have to see the alcohol."

"He really does love to blow money on those he loves doesn't he?" Spencer thought back to the Jackson from the other world, wondering if he had found the perfect Sub yet. Someone that accepted him as he was and his love of Aaron.

"He's very generous to those he thinks deserve it." Wentworth turned in the seat, and Spencer realized that they were in the drop off zone for the apartment. "Now, don't forget that I'm here when you need me. Jackson has another driver that he likes well enough and she'll drive him around if you need me while he is in town."

"I won't forget. Aaron won't let me. I don't think that he wants me to drive to work or from work alone anymore."

"He doesn't want to lose you."

Spencer didn't say anything as he grabbed his messenger bag and slipped from the backseat of the car. He shouldered it as he straightened up and looked around before getting out of the full shelter of the car. His gun was on his hip, and Spencer was wearing sunglasses. He looked for a threat that shouldn't be there, but he still was afraid. There was something on the horizon. Spencer wasn't sure what it was, but it was making him restless.

When Spencer was inside of the building, he let his shoulders sag, and his body relax. The security guard at the desk smiled at him and waved Spencer towards the already opened elevator doors. Spencer didn't even pause in his steps as he got onto the elevator. The doors shut and Spencer was alone. Even when the doors opened again on the right floor, Spencer was alone. The hallway was empty. Spencer pushed himself off of the wall where he had slumped and made himself move forward. He wanted solace, he wanted to just rest in Aaron's arms after a horribly long day of work.

Aaron was standing in the doorway when Spencer got closer, he smiled at Spencer with a smile that made Spencer's thoughts melt away. Aaron pulled Spencer into his arms when he got close enough and wrapped his arms tight around Spencer.

"Welcome home, Love," Aaron whispered in Spencer's ear.

"How did you know the I was here?" Spencer asked as he pulled farther into the apartment. The door was shut softly behind Spencer before Aaron stripped him over his gun, his messenger bag, and a few other items that Spencer didn't need anymore. Spencer kept his eyes closed, relishing the feeling of peace that was over him at being in Aaron's arms.

"Wentworth texted that you were being dropped off. JJ said that you were near dead on your feet when you go back from the case and that I needed to take care of you."

"You always take care of me," Spencer said. It was the truth of their life after finally getting onto the same page. Spencer had slowly given his full submission to Aaron and with it his trust. It wasn't time yet to given the last piece of himself over to Aaron though, the blank space on his back that was left for this Aaron to fill in by the other Aaron.

"Yes but I need to pamper you tonight. I have the bathroom all ready for you. The shower is running, and I have your softest pajamas laid out." Aaron pressed a kiss into Spencer's hair, just behind his ear, wrapping his hand around the back of his neck, holding him into his body. Aaron didn't like that Spencer was pushing to keep him out of the issues that he was having with Morgan in the BAU, but when the time came, and Morgan made his move, Spencer wanted to be able to cut Morgan off totally. Leave him to hang for his own stupidity.

Aaron guided Spencer back towards where the bathroom was. Spencer could hear Jack following them as far as the bedroom door. Spencer opened his eyes to see him there. Jack was smiling at Spencer and waved before Spencer disappeared into the bathroom. Aaron's soft and gentle hands stripped Spencer of all of his clothing before directing him into the shower.

The water was hot, and it washed away the majority of Spencer's anxiety and fatigue. He would still be tired, but it would be a level that he could handle and still feel human. He washed thoroughly but rushed it because he wanted to be back in Aaron's arms. He craved to be held. Spencer shut off the water when he was done and found that Aaron had laid out a pair of soft pajamas. It was Spencer's favorite pair of sleep pants and one of Aaron's running T-shirts that Spencer had co-opted as his own sleep shirt.

Spencer dried himself off, making sure that his hair was completely dry before he slipped on the clothing. Spencer opened the bedroom door to find the light in the room was off. He had turned off the light in the bathroom before he had opened the door and so was greeted with total darkness. Spencer took a step into the bedroom and moved towards where Spencer just knew Aaron was. He found his lover in the dark, wrapping his arms around Aaron's neck before leaned in to bury his nose in Aaron's neck.

Aaron allowed Spencer to ground himself in the smell and the feel of him before he pulled Spencer away. Spencer felt fabric being draped over his eyes and he felt himself taken back to that day, the date, where Aaron had fed him. Spencer was led to the chair in the corner and settled down into it. Spencer could smell something slightly spicy coming near him, so he opened his mouth. The last time that Aaron had done this, it had been to seduce and arouse Spencer. This time though felt different. When a bite of something slightly thick was set on his tongue, Spencer closed his mouth and started to chew. The taste of tomato soup, just enough spices added to give it a kick burst over his taste buds followed by bread and cheese. Fried bread with cheese in between. Comfort food.

Bites of the sandwich were interspersed with spoonfuls of the soup and drinks of chamomile tea. Each bite, spoonful, or sip had Spencer calming down more and more. When the blindfold was taken off of his eyes, he looked at Aaron's face, soft lighting making the room feel cozy.

"It's too early for bed," Spencer pointed out when he noticed that the bed was made up for lounging. But not for two but for three.

"Yes, but it's not too early for all of us to pile in here and watch TV. I have the new season of _Doctor Who_ on DVD."

"There isn't a DVD player in here." Spencer looked over at the TV and saw that there was indeed a DVD player there. It looked new. "Aaron?"

"For mornings where we don't want to get out of bed. We can watch something together and cuddle."

"And we are going to lay in here tonight and watch _Doctor Who_?"

"With Jack. We ate dinner early like I told you we would but I made the soup for you. I know you like tomato soup. So why don't you go over and get settled down in bed while I go and get Jack and clean up the dishes from your dinner."

"Let me help," Spencer said as he tried to stand up. Aaron wrapped a hand around Spencer's shoulder, and Spencer thought at first that Aaron was going to push him back down, but instead, Aaron swept him up into a bridal carry. Spencer wrapped his arms around Aaron tightly as he was taken to the bed. Aaron laid Spencer down and glared at him.

"I can do dishes. You've had a worse day than me. You pampered me last week when I spent the entire day in a budget meeting. Let me take care of you now."

"Okay." Spencer let himself relax on the bed, and he watched Aaron slip out of the room. Aaron was also dressed in sleep clothes, which Spencer hadn't noticed before that. He turned onto his side, facing the TV. The sound of soft feet had Spencer looking back. Jack was carrying three bottles of water, carefully through the room, his eyes on the floor, and his arms gripping the bottles tightly. Spencer watched him move around the bed and carefully set the bottles on the nightstand closest to the TV. Jack crawled up into the bed as soon as he was free of bottles. He laid down along Spencer's body, grabbing Spencer's arm that was up and wrapping it around him. Spencer smiled, pressing a kiss into the back of Jack's head.

"I'm excited for more Doctor Who," Jack said, his body nearly vibrating.

"I am, too." Spencer propped his head up on his arm and reached over for the TV remote. He turned it on and found that Aaron had already loaded up the DVD player. Spencer queued up the first episode, waiting.

Aaron slipped into bed with them minutes later. The rest of the night was soft words and cuddling. Spencer fell asleep wrapped in warmth, between the two that mattered most to him.

* * *

Spencer woke to the sound of Jack's soft breathing and Aaron's heavier breathing. Jack was asleep while Aaron was not. Spencer didn't move anything except his hands to tug them down a little farther. Jack was asleep on his stomach, arms and legs akimbo. Spencer was mostly on his front. Aaron was a brand of heat along his back, leg thrown over both of Spencer's. From the position that Spencer was in, he knew that Aaron had to be laying with one of his hands under his head. The other was on Spencer's hip, holding tight. Spencer wanted to wake up like this for the rest of his life, Jack was optional for an every morning thing, but Aaron at his back wasn't.

"Good morning, Love," Aaron said before his lips traced up and down Spencer's neck. "So before you had a horrible night. Jack and I had plans for you. So that's been put off until now. You fell asleep early, so you woke up early. We have time. How do you feel?"

"I feel rested for the first time in a while. Why?" Spencer wondered what the plans had been. If Jack was part of it, sex was off the table.

"We have a busy morning. I'm going to unhook the cuffs, and you can go and get a cup of coffee while I take a shower. Jack will sleep a while yet. He stayed up later than me I think. So get woke up and then we can talk."

"Okay." Spencer stretched as Aaron rolled away from him. Spencer sat up on the bed before scooting down to leave the end of it. He reached up and touched the base of his throat, reminding himself that the collar was there. There Aaron hadn't taken it off of him in the night. He didn't know why he checked it because it wasn't an everyday thing. It was probably to do with whatever Aaron had planned for him.

Spencer had showered the night before so taking another wasn't something that he needed to do. A brief thought of joining Aaron in the shower passed over his mind before he tossed it out. The smell of coffee from the kitchen lulled Spencer in there instead of heading back into the bedroom. Spencer didn't like the idea of sex in the shower with Jack in the master bedroom anyway. Spencer grabbed his cup that was sitting on the tray beside the pot and scooped out the sugar that he needed and then added coffee from the pot. The creamer was in the fridge, where Spencer liked it because if the creamer was cold, it cooled down the coffee enough to where he could drink it when it was just finished dripping. Which it was as it usually took longer for Spencer to get out of bed.

Wrapping his fingers around his finished drink, Spencer moved into the living room. Five folders were sitting on the coffee table. Those had not been there when Spencer had left for work the day before, so it had to be part of what Aaron and Jack wanted to surprise him with. Spencer itched to open the first folder, just to get a peek at what was in store for him, hating surprises. He'd endure this one because it was Aaron and it was Jack doing it for him. Moving towards the window, Spencer looked out at the just waking up city. The sun wasn't up high enough to where the brightness of it lit up the city, but it was just enough for him to see people moving around below.

"You sleeping in my shirt will never get old," Aaron said as he wrapped an arm around Spencer's stomach.

"That's the Alpha Male in you. Me wearing your clothes tell you and other people that I'm yours. You don't have to make an overt claim because it's readily visible that I am taken."

"And why do you like wearing it so much?" Aaron asked, his voice full of humor.

"Because you like seeing me in it." It was an honest answer. Jack and sometimes Jessica was the only person to see Spencer in his sleep clothes. The shirt had long stopped smelling of Aaron and since their dry cleaning was taken care of at the same place and the rest of their clothes were washed together, everything smelled the same, there was no other reason for Spencer to feel joy in wearing Aaron's shirt to sleep in.

"And when you steal my ties?" Aaron chuckled as he spoke.

"That's to show the others that I'm yours. It's subtle I know but still."

"I thought the collar proved that."

"Hmm, it does, but this shows it more. You don't let anyone else wear your ties. You didn't even let Rossi borrow that tie when you and he went to that cigar club for that case in New York last year. He had to go and buy a tie."

"I let Dave borrow one of my silk ties once, he got Alfredo sauce on it." Aaron sounded stern, but his voice was soft, no anger. "The worst you have done is get them wet."

The remembrance of what Aaron was talking about set a low hum of arousal in Spencer's body. Aaron using his own tie to keep Spencer quiet in the office as Aaron jerked him off. Spencer remembered it from just a few days before. Aaron in his office chair with Spencer in his lap. Spencer facing the door, his cock out of his pants, if Grace had come in, there was no chance of hiding his hard cock. It was a game, a game to help Spencer keep his head. Aaron would not lock the door, nor let Spencer lock it. Instead, the door remained unlocked. Grace knew during the lunch to not let anyone in, but it didn't stop her. The feel of Aaron cock pressed into the small of Spencer's back as he rutted into Spencer. Aaron's voice whispering words of what the man wanted to do to him the next time they went to the club.

Trevor no longer watched them, but Aaron still went for lessons on how to use certain implements. Spencer sometimes watched Aaron learn, but most of the time he stayed at home with Jack, getting some quality time with the boy.

"So what are we doing today?" Spencer asked, pushing himself out of the thoughts of sex because it wasn't the time.

"Well, I can tell that you didn't touch the files, so I'll wait for Jack before we talk. But we are going to go out to eat. Breakfast before we take a drive around the city."

"Why?"

"Because Jack wants to go to a private school. I think it was something the other Spencer in his head, but he's been looking at schools. Jack made a shopping list, and before you got off of work, we went shopping. We have enough food to last the entire weekend, and according to him when we get done looking at the schools, we are not leaving the apartment until a school is picked."

"Most schools don't do tours on Saturdays."

"We aren't going to do a tour. I've already called around and got the feel of the schools and narrowed Jack's choices down to the five schools we are going to look at. Jack wants to see what they feel like."

Spencer turned his head enough to where he could look at Aaron's face. Aaron was staring out the window. There was more going on than that, but Aaron was staying mum. Spencer slipped out of Aaron's hold, draining his coffee as he moved towards the kitchen for a refill. Spencer looked at the folders as he passed them. Aaron didn't follow him into the kitchen, instead stayed at the window. Spencer looked at him. Watched him. Aaron was introspective.

Another cup of coffee down, Spencer moved into the living room with empty hands. He was looking at the files. All five of them were too slim to be files on the school, not files that held staff information, classes, and the like. No, these files were something else. Spencer hadn't been told not to touch them, so he reached out to open the top one.

Aaron grabbed Spencer by his wrist as soon as Spencer's fingers brushed the top of the folder. Spencer didn't react as his arm was drawn behind his back before he was manhandled into a seated position on Aaron's lap on the couch. Aaron pulled his other arm back behind his back as well. Looping his long fingers around both to hold him one handed.

"No, no, Spencer. Jack's not awake yet," Aaron whispered in Spencer's ear.

"You never told me that I couldn't touch. If you didn't want me touching, you should have told me."

"And that's why I'm not going to punish you." Aaron laid his free hand on Spencer's thigh, his fingers tracing up and down the sleep pants. "Instead, I'm just going to hold you here until Jack gets up. You've had two cups of coffee, so you'll be good for a while."

"We are really going to just sit here?"

"Yes." Aaron shifted a little, and Spencer smiled as he felt his hands being held harder. Spencer laid his head back on Aaron's shoulder and relaxed down. When Spencer was settled down, relaxed fully in Aaron's lap, Aaron let go of his wrists and wrapped his arm around Spencer's stomach, pulling him just a little closer.

Spencer's mind started to wander to the trip he had coming up to California to see the new building, and it's finished set up before the servers were brought in. Fingers dug into Spencer's thigh and his mind near blanked.

"Stop thinking about work," Aaron whispered.

Spencer didn't answer out loud. He closed his eyes and tried to think about anything except for work, either of his jobs at that. Thinking about the BAU wasn't high on his list because it would piss him off and to think about his job with Grimes Tech, it was just going to make him want to work on the files he knew were on his desk at the office. Instead, Spencer tried to think about food. What he was going to get to eat when they went out. Aaron's hand worked its way under his sleep shirt, nails scratching enough to cause Spencer's train of thought to derail. He exhaled sharply and could feel Aaron hardening. Spencer felt like playing with Aaron a little, so he wiggled. Just enough to make it seem like he was trying to get comfortable but not enough to where Aaron could actually call him out on what he was doing.

"We don't have time for this," Aaron murmured into Spencer's ear before he caught the lobe between his teeth, pressing down just enough for Spencer to feel the sharp spike of arousal to settle on him. Aaron's hand on his thigh moved to his cock, knuckles brushing down the hard length of him. The knuckles moved back up before the hand slipped down inside of his pants. Aaron brushed his fingertips on the underside of Spencer's cock.

"It's not stopping you," Spencer said, gasping when the hand wrapped around his cock.

"You are lucky that I am not taking you to the bedroom and fucking you raw over the end of the bed."

"Is that supposed to deter me?"

"No," Aaron admitted. Aaron tongued at the shell of Spencer's ear before taking the lobe between his teeth again. "Spit."

Spencer waited for his ear lobe to be released before he leaned up enough to spit on Aaron's hand when it popped out of Spencer's pants. As soon as Aaron's spit slick hand wrapped around Spencer's cock again, Spencer wiggled. Aaron didn't stop him, but his hand started to work Spencer harder.

"First person to come wins."

"What does the winner get?"

"Orgasm because the second won't until tonight."

"Aaron," Spencer whined as the hand working him started to squeeze him just a little tighter, twisting just a bit more at the end. It was a game of chicken that both of them wanted to win. Aaron's hand worked him hard, and Spencer tried his hardest to rub into Aaron just right. Spencer kept his lips parted enough for moans and pants to come through. Spencer could slow down and let Aaron work him to orgasm, riding on that high but he wanted Aaron to lose by barely a few seconds. Aaron's hand was maddening on Spencer's cock.

"Do you want to win, Spencer? Do you want to orgasm right now? Or wait? Do you want to feel me paint the inside of my underwear while I rut against you? Or do you want to win and know that I've had all day thinking about my own orgasm? Do you want me to be frustrated to where I just take you tonight? Do you want me to fuck you mute?"

Spencer couldn't hold back the whine that escaped his throat as he came, picturing Aaron doing what he said, taking him, fucking him until he was mute. Aaron's hand kept working him until he was almost too sensitive, the way helped with the release that was on Aaron's hand.

Aaron wiped the release on Spencer's skin before he pulled his hand out of Spencer's pants. The hand moved up, rubbing smaller bits on Spencer's stomach and chest before it gripped his throat, just enough to squeeze a little before backing away. Spencer barely paid attention to Aaron as he sat there trying to get his breath back.

Spencer lifted up when Aaron's pants started to be pulled down. He didn't realize that his own were being pulled down until he felt skin on the skin except Aaron wasn't hard, and he could feel wetness along his crack. Aaron pulled Spencer down into him, spreading it more.

"Aaron!" Spencer exclaimed. He tried to get away, but Aaron was holding him fast to his body.

"It looks like it was a tie. I was all clean until you made me come in my pants. So be a good dear and clean me up." Aaron released Spencer's body, letting him slide down to the floor. Spencer pulled his pants up to cover his body before he took his first lick of Aaron's soft cock. Aaron smelled of his body wash, and that was it, the scent of it too fresh and potent for Spencer to smell Aaron's natural scent, even at his sex. Aaron's cock twitched when Spencer took his cock into his mouth to clean it off before he cleaned up the rest of the area. Aaron's hand was resting on his leg, so when Spencer was done cleaning up around Aaron's sex, Spencer rotated the hand over to where he could lick it clean of his release.

Spencer pressed kisses into Aaron's skin all the way up his arm, before straddling his lap and kissing Aaron. "Now I need a shower."

"Yes, I know. I got you all messy. But you look so good when you orgasm, Spencer. I can't help it. I love you, you know."

"I know." Spencer framed Aaron's face with his hands, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "I love you, too."

Aaron pressed forward, kissing him harder. Spencer felt Aaron lift up enough to pull his sleep pants up, even though it was going to mess him up again. Better though if Jack were to come into the room.

"I heard Jack go into the bathroom a few minutes ago, so why don't you go shower and then I think it's time to get get breakfast."

Spencer didn't want to get off of Aaron's lap, but he knew that he needed to. Aaron needed to clean up a little and change out of the now soiled sleep pants. Spencer needed to shower and get dressed for the day. Spencer passed Jack as the boy popped out of the bathroom and moved towards the kitchen. Jack just smiled at him as they passed.

The shower took a little time at all but finding an outfit was harder. Spencer stared at the closet for several minutes while he tried to decide on what to wear. Aaron's dirty clothes in the top of the hamper said that he was already dressed and ready. Spencer looked at what was missing from the closet that was Aaron's. Taking into account what he had worn to Jack's pickup soccer game and to work, Spencer knew that Aaron was in khakis and a polo shirt. Spencer grabbed a purple dress shirt and a pair of tight jeans. He left the collar of the shirt open, his collar on display. He looked good, and Aaron wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of him.

"Ready?" Aaron asked as he entered the room. The older man didn't even look at Spencer. Instead, he was going to the dresser where his watches were scattered along with cufflinks. There was a system to it, and Spencer had long figured it out. Aaron grabbed one of the nicer watches and slipped it on his wrist. Spencer watched him slide the clasp closed. Aaron turned around, grabbing a thin metal chain off the dresser that Spencer hadn't seen before. Aaron was looking down at it as he stepped in front of Spencer. He didn't look up until he was right there. His eyes moved up from Spencer's legs, up to his hips, across his stomach and chest, before stopped at Spencer's throat. Aaron reached out and grabbed Spencer's hand, dropping the chain into Spencer's outstretched hand.

"What's this?"

"I saw it in the store and debated for a week before buying it."

Spencer lifted it up and looked at the chain. It was two pieces, and neither were very long. There was a clip at one end of each chain and a weight at the other. He knew exactly what they were for.

"For another time obviously. Stainless steel and I bought several different weights."

"And?"

"A longer chain connects together with weights as well."

"And you are giving them to me why?"

"Oh, I'm not giving them to you. I'm just showing them to you. I figured that if you are going to go out looking like that, I thought that setting you on a slow simmer was more than fair."

Spencer narrowed his eyes at Aaron. The smile of pure happiness on Aaron's face though was enough to take the heat out of that glare. Spencer stepped past Aaron and moved to the dresser to put the chains down along with the longer Y shaped counterpart. Aaron stepped up behind him, blocking his ability to get away with an arm on either side of Spencer.

"Are you going to be good today?"

"Sir?" Spencer wondered why Aaron was asking that. He didn't understand it at all.

"No baiting anyone that we talk to."

"I thought that we were just going to see the schools?"

"We are going to look at them, yes but there is more than that. But it's Jack's surprise for you, not mine."

"What are you afraid of, Aaron? That I'm going to upset Jack?" Spencer was bristling at the suggestion of what Aaron was saying.

"No. But we are going to be meeting with a lady who is very...bubbly, and she flirts."

"As long as she doesn't touch, I don't care."

"Good." Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer, drawing him back into his embrace. Spencer could feel that he was half hard and it had him hardening in response. Spencer was slightly ashamed of how his body reacted to that. Just feeling Aaron get hard shouldn't turn him on but it did. As if knowing what he was doing to Spencer, Aaron trailed a hand down Spencer's stomach before resting it on Spencer's cock. "Do you want a cage?"

Spencer shook his head. He did not want to wear one all day. "How about you take it with you, and I'll let you put that on me when we are heading home."

"I like that plan. I like it a lot. Do you want me to pick one?"

"You have more than one?" Spencer turned in Aaron's arms, looking into his face and see the smugness there.

"I went shopping with Trevor not too long ago. He helped me pick out things for you, to use on you, to use inside of you. No, you can't know what they all are, but I will get the three different cock cages that I bought and let you pick one."

"You pick," Spencer said because he was afraid that if he saw it, he would come. He didn't want that. He wanted the torture of being just on the edge of arousal all day long. It would make the sex even better when Aaron was finally fucking him.

"I'm ready," Aaron said as he finally turned away from the closet, he had tucked something into a bag that he slung over his shoulder. Spencer wondered if Aaron had slipped other things into the bag.

The three of them left the apartment, and Spencer wasn't shocked when Aaron moved the bag into the trunk. He didn't relish Jack getting into the bag and holding up a cock cage or anything else really and asking what it was.

* * *

Spencer was standing in the kitchen, his mind focused on the five houses that Aaron and Jack had hauled him to that. Jack had talked about each of the five schools that each house was closest to. It hadn't taken much for Spencer figure out which school Jack wanted to go to. The Edgewood Academy was known for its soccer team, and it's academics. It was an excellent school and one that Spencer thought that Jack would excel at. The house that was close to it was beautiful. It was Aaron's favorite house, but he had tried hard to show it.

Jack made sure that Spencer knew that he didn't care which school he went to but that the two Hotchner men wanted Spencer to pick the house that he liked the best. Spencer loved them both for that, but Spencer couldn't do it, not for that reason. He liked Edgelawn best for Jack, and the house that was close to it was a perfect house. There was a reason that Spencer wanted that house and it had nothing to do with the school or the neighborhood or how many bedrooms it had.

The house had a basement that was mostly unfinished and spanned the whole of the house. The laundry room was on the ground floor, in a room that led to the backyard. The realtor had called it a mud room. There was a room on the second floor that would be easy to turn into an office/library as well as three bedrooms, none of them huge. The master bedroom was on the third floor, it had been the attic but the previous owners had renovated it into a large open space, and it was a perfect master bedroom. There was a small circular staircase that with a little renovation would be ideal for access to the basement. It already went all the way down there as the previous owners had used the basement as an exercise room. Some of the equipment was still down there. Spencer was already thinking about how he wanted the stairs closed off so no one could access the stairs from the ground or second floor. Make it a way to get to the basement and back up.

As soon as Spencer had entered the basement, he'd seen what he wanted in a house when he and Aaron were ready to finally make that step. Jack going to a private school was a good reason for a house. Jack would be within walking distance of the school, and it was close enough to the new Grimes Tech building where Jessica was already starting to make waves at, that it wouldn't be hard for Jack to even walk there on beautiful days. The basement had nice thick walls, and it was a very expansive room, the distance from the block floor to the wood of the underside of the floor above was fifteen feet. Even with sound proofing, it would be high enough for a playroom. Spencer wanted to keep part of the basement for the exercise equipment. He wanted to add a treadmill to it, one of the ones that would allow him to program what he wanted into it.

"What are you thinking about?" Aaron asked, wrapping his arm around Spencer's waist and tucking him Aaron's body. Jack was in bed, the day wearing him out before the sun set. It had put a hiccup in their plans of sex when they got home, but Spencer had been fine in the cage for the past hour. Aaron had pulled Spencer away from where the realtor was talking to Jack in the living room and pulled him into the small guest half bath on the ground floor of the house that Spencer wanted. Aaron had made him hard using just his voice before opening up Spencer's pants and putting the silicone cock cage on him. Spencer had stayed hard from then on. Aaron's touches and looks kept him hard even when there was nothing else going on.

"Our house."

"So you've made your decision?" Aaron asked.

"Yes."

"The house with the library right?" Aaron asked but his body stiffened when Spencer shook his head no. "Why not?"

"Because that house doesn't have the one thing that I want and the house close to Edgewood does."

"What?" Aaron asked.

"A basement fit for a play room. Don't you want that, Aaron? A room that you can take me to and play before fucking me in it? We wouldn't have to go to the club all the time. Soundproofing can make it so that Jack won't hear us. The spiral staircase can be enclosed on the ground and first floors. We can go from our bedroom down to the basement, and no one sees us. An intercom system can be installed easily so that Jack can talk to us if we are down there or in the bedroom."

Aaron's arm tightened, and Spencer was pulled into the bedroom, no words were spoken as Aaron stripped Spencer but left the cock cage on. Spencer wasn't fully hard, but he was hard enough that he could feel the cage on him, it wasn't painful, either good or bad. Spencer wanted more. Spencer waited, not moving, trying to figure out what Aaron wanted. Hands brushed across his chest, flicking at his nipple rings before Spencer felt a tug and looked down to see one of the chains there on his right nipple. Another tug and he watched Aaron clip the second chain onto his left nipple. Fingers moved behind Spencer before disappearing from his skin. There was a sound of rustling behind him, but Spencer didn't look. He didn't move at all. There was a creak of leather, and Spencer knew that Aaron had sat down in the large leather chair.

"Back up towards me."

Spencer did as Aaron asked, stopping only when a hand grabbed his ass cheek to stop him. A single finger pressed between Spencer's cheeks, finding his hole and pushing its way inside of him, coated in lube. Aaron slipped both of his legs between Spencer's slightly spread ones and then grabbed Spencer's hips to help guide him down. Spencer grabbed the arms of the chair to help control his descent, and when Aaron let go of his hips and instead spread his cheeks, Spencer knew what Aaron wanted. Spencer lowered himself a little faster until he felt the blunt head of Aaron's cock at his hole. He pushed down until the head slipped all the way inside of him.

Aaron let go of Spencer's cheeks and grabbed his hips, pulling Spencer the rest of the way down on his cock. Spencer cried out in pleasure at the pain of the entry, his body accepting the cock just as easy as he breathed. Aaron spread his legs apart some, forcing Spencer to give up his ability to move.

"Wrap your arms behind my head, Spencer," Aaron demanded.

Spencer did as he asked, making himself wholly at Aaron's mercy. Aaron's hands gripped his hips, rocking Spencer on his cock.

"You've told me about your stay in Atlantic City with the other Aaron, but you've always kind of glossed over what happened after you two went to the club and watched, who did you say it was, Lady Heather and her Sub? So Spencer, tell me, what happened after you watched that?"

Spencer gasped and moved to drop his hands. He stopped that when he realized what he was doing. Spencer shook his head at Aaron, hoping that Aaron would let it go. He did not want to tell him about what Jackson, Aaron, and he had done.

"You've talked about how it was you and Aaron and Jackson and Jackson's Sub, but you've never told me what Aaron did to you when you went back to the room." Aaron wrapped his hand around the base of Spencer's cock and squeezed, just enough to make Spencer groan in disappointment. "Tell me, Spencer. I won't get jealous. I know that the other Aaron fucked you. Given what you said about the other Aaron, I wouldn't be shocked if he wanted Jackson to screw you, given how tight a leash he had on his Spencer. You would be different enough that I could see him doing it. Using you to see if he could allow Jackson to fuck his Spencer."

"No, Jackson didn't touch me that way."

"But he did touch you. What did he do?" Aaron asked. Aaron's hands were holding onto Spencer's hips, rocking Spencer on him in a steady rhythm. Aaron shifted them at the little bit so that Spencer was leaning up a bit more, the chains on his nipples swinging free from the gravity that had been holding them to his chest. The rhythm was just enough that the weight on the end of the chain was swinging enough to add to it all. Spencer looked down at his cock, seeing it in the cage and groaning at the contrast in the paleness of his cock and the dark purple of the cage. It was almost time for him to be able to change the bar in the head of his cock and he wondered if Aaron was going to choose purple.

"Aaron asked me first when we were alone. I probably wouldn't have agreed to it if I wasn't as horny as I was from watching the exhibition that I had seen or if I hadn't had enough drinks to make me not second and third guess everything. I trusted Aaron that he knew my judgment wasn't compromised by the alcohol. Dutch courage I would say."

Aaron thrust up into Spencer harder, rocking him to where he was almost upset out of Aaron's lap. Only his arms wrapped up and behind him, kept him where Aaron wanted him.

"What did Jackson do to you?" Aaron asked.

"He asked if I liked pain and when I said yes, he showed me the difference between him and Aaron. He had Aaron sit down in a chair and demanded that he not touch himself as Jackson used a whip on me."

"Why couldn't Aaron touch himself?" Aaron asked.

"Because Jackson wanted to fuck him later while I had to watch."

"How did it feel? Jackson giving you pain?"

"He was relentless. Aaron was good, fuck it always felt so good when he used me like that, but with Jackson, I could feel that there was no emotion. He knew that I wasn't the Spencer that he knew and he had no connection. I was a tool to work the other Aaron up and himself by hurting me. I begged to be allowed to come, but Jackson asked Aaron."

Aaron let go of Spencer's hips and turned his hands to grab what he could of Spencer's cheeks, spreading them just a little more. Spencer sank down on his cock just a bit more.

"What did Aaron say?" Aaron asked, his cock rocking in and out of Spencer as he picked up his narrative again. Aaron's cock moved in and out of Spencer just enough for him to feel it and it brushed over his prostate with almost every single rock.

"Aaron said he wanted to see if I could come untouched. Aaron wanted me tied to a chair, so I couldn't touch at all and watch Jackson fuck him. I didn't even know if I could do what he wanted. It only excited Jackson more. He called Aaron wicked before he moved a chair where he wanted it. I was so damned close to the bed that I swore I could feel Aaron's exhalations while Jackson fucked him but I couldn't touch him or myself. I wasn't even paying attention to Jackson's Sub at all. Aaron told me not to whine. Jackson fucked Aaron on his hands and knees with Aaron facing me. I had to watch every single thrust inside of him, every single time that Jackson hit that sweet spot inside of him. Seeing him grip the bed sheets below him as he was fucked hard and fast. The look on Jackson's face, knowing that I couldn't do a damned thing to stop what was happening. Jackson came first and flipped Aaron on the bed before going down on him. Aaron stared at me the whole time that Jackson was sucking his cock. Aaron told me to come when he did, and there was no chance of me denying myself an orgasm. I was so hard that it hurt. I just wanted someone to touch me. One touch was all it would have taken. One single brush of a pad of a finger or even just a single lick of a tongue. Aaron nodded when he started to come, thrusting up into Jackson's mouth. I don't remember coming so hard or so completely before. I coated myself in release, and when I opened my eyes, I could see Jackson and Aaron kissing. I was jealous but so tired."

Aaron groaned, his teeth sinking into Spencer's flesh of his shoulder. Spencer felt the flare of the cock inside of him and the warmth of Aaron's release inside of him. Spencer hadn't been told he was allowed to come yet though so he held on. The cock cage was still on him anyway, but he felt that even with it on, he might have still be able to come. Aaron's hand brushed Spencer's cock and released the cock ring from the cage.

"Come."

Spencer bit his lip to stop the scream that wanted to come out as he did as Aaron told him to. The orgasm that ripped from him was the perfect mix of painful and pleasurable. Spencer felt his cock swell, pushing the restraint of the cage still on his cock and he saw white before he passed out. As he did, he wanted to curse the other Spencer for not telling him that Aaron got off on hearing about sex as much as doing it.

# Mirror World

Spencer woke up drenched in sweat. Opening his eyes hurt, and his whole body ached. He shivered under the covers and felt like he didn’t want to get out of bed. The cuffs had been removed earlier when Aaron had gotten ready to leave for his conference. He was going to be gone for a week on business with the firm, then he was flying to Japan for a few days with Jinto and the leaders of his clan. Spencer knew they were going to put him through his paces, making sure he knew what it meant for Spencer to be adopted by Jinto.

Spencer couldn’t be sick. He had the kids to take care of, files to work on for pending cases, and other things to handle with some of the businesses that they owned. There was the new restaurant that Aaron was looking into investing in, the small coffee chain that had potential to be more. Aaron and Spencer were looking into buying it and renovating each location, making each location unique and different. One was going to be a mystery and spy novel bookstore and coffee cafe. One they wanted it to look like an old Speakeasy, and at night serve coffee with alcohol, small plates and desserts, all coffee themed. The one close to the Capital they had plans to play up the founding father’s idea. Reconstituted wood, distressed furniture, copies of the important American Documents hanging on the wall, and more. Spencer had proposals to write up for each, business plans to look over and other little tasks that kept him busy throughout the day.

“Petite?” Jackson asked as he kneeled down next to the bed and felt Spencer’s forehead. “I think you have the flu. I’m not surprised with as much running around as you’ve been doing. Then Hayden coming home sick last week from day care. I think you caught what he had.”

“No no no no, I cannot be sick,” Spencer whined, which clued Jackson into just how sick he was.

“Don’t worry, Petite. I can have Wanda take care of things today at the office. I didn’t have anything pressing going on, and the one conference call that I do have to take, I can do in my office over video.”

“Gotta get Jack ready, and Aria needs her lunch made, and Hayden….” Jackson laid a finger on Spencer lips to quiet him.

“Shh, Spencer. I can take care of everything, don’t worry.”

Spencer cracked open an eye and looked at Jackson with a skeptical eye.

“What? I’m not helpless. Now, you stay here in bed, I’ll get the kids ready and be back in a little bit.” Jackson placed a kiss on Spencer’s forehead, brushing back his hair. Spencer moaned as he tried to sit up from the bed, but found himself falling back down and burrowing under the covers.

He never got sick, and he already knew he absolutely hated it.

* * *

Jackson left Spencer to go back to sleep.

“Hey, kiddo, ready for school?”

Even though, for the most part, Spencer did home schooling for Aria she still had to show up once a week to go over her progress with the teachers. It was a hybrid program and it was working quite well. Aria was assimilating slowly and soon she would be able to go to school full-time like Jack and just do the special projects at home much like Jack did.

“Where’s Papa?” Jack was looking around for Spencer.

“Papa has the flu. So, I’m going to get you and Aria to school. Then come back and take care of Hayden and Spencer.”

“You promise to take care of him?” Jack’s concern was adorable, and Jackson tried not to chuckle.

“I promise, little man. I will take very good care of Spencer. Now, come on you and your sister have school. Do you think you can watch her at the schools Day Care till I can get there to pick you up?”

“Yes, Papa Jax.”

“Good, come on.”

Jackson got the baby ready to go with them. Hayden, for his part, was actually cooperating for once, Jackson didn’t expect that to last that long. Aria was all dressed, and all Jackson had to do was make the lunches.

When he went to the kitchen he stood there frowning. H didn’t know what the hell went in a kid’s lunch box. When Jack came in behind him, he shook his head and went to the fridge and pulled out the drawer that kept all of the kids snacks and lunch sized items in it.

“Here, this one is mine, this one is Aria’s.” Jack set the lunch sacks on the counter. “No peanut butter is allowed at school. Papa tried to get them to change their mind as he went over the statistics of a kid allergic to it actually getting sick. He talked to the poor principal for over an hour because he was upset I couldn’t take peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Papa was mad for days because he didn’t get his way.”

Jack pulled out two juice boxes, fruit cups, and pre-portioned veggies. Jackson took each item and placed them in each lunch bag.

“Sandwiches, you’re on your own. Papa won’t let me make them yet. Even though I know how.”

Sandwiches. That he could do. Pulling out the bread, meat, cheese and other things he quickly got them assembled, with Jack’s careful directions.

“Aria doesn’t like crust.”

Jackson tried not to laugh as he cut the crusts off the little girls sandwich. He started to cut the sandwich perpendicular, but Jack shook his head. He angled the knife so it was on the diagonal, and Jack nodded yes. Jackson was smiling as he made triangles, then packaged the sandwich. Jack was fine with his uncut, and with crust.

“Now you have to put the ice things in the top so the food stays cold.”

“Are you sure, Buddy?”

Jack vigorously nodded, and Jackson rubbed his head. He opened the freezer and found the ice packs and slipped them into their pockets on the bottom of the bags, then zipped them up again.

After getting those ready, he picked up the baby and got everyone out to the car.

It didn’t take long to get the kids to school, then Jackson was driving back talking to a babbling Hayden, who was cooing in his carseat, looking up every so often to make faces at Jackson.

After getting home, he got the baby out of the car and back inside. Jackson put him in his playpen, with all the soft fluffy toys he could find, turned on the baby monitor then went to check on Spencer.

Spencer was still running a fever, and Jackson prodded Spencer out of the bed and into the bathroom.

“Come on, Petite. Let me get you cleaned up. I’ll take care of the bed after you shower. Then you should have some liquids and a little something to eat.”

Spencer looked like he was going to protest, and the little whine that he let out had Jackson manhandling him just a little more than he probably would have if Spencer was cooperating.

“I know you never get sick, but don’t whine. Come on.”

Jackson stripped himself after getting the shower to the right temperature. He then got Spencer inside with him right behind.

“Dominae,” Spencer sighed as the warm water his skin. “Mmm, feels good.”

Jackson chuckled as he reached out and grabbed the washcloth sitting on the side of the sink. He added a little of the body wash and starting with Spencer’s shoulders, gently rubbed the cloth over his skin. The little moans that Spencer was making let Jackson know he was making Spencer feel good.

“Sit, and I’ll do your hair.”

Spencer sat down on the built in bench and leaned forward a little letting Jackson take care of him. Gently he washed Spencer’s hair. Jackson hand Spencer lay his head against his stomach while he turned on the overhead that was right above them, rinsing Spencer’s hair. He then did the same with the conditioner.

Once they were done, Jackson got Spencer out and gently dried him off. The last thing he had to do was the salt water wash for the Prince Albert, making sure it was thoroughly clean. While Jackson was on his knees taking care of Spencer, a hand snaked through his hair.

“Thank you, Dominae,” Spencer’s words were slightly slurred as he swayed just a little on his feet.

“How about I make up the bed in the den. Get you some hot tea, and easy to eat food. I’ll change into my pajamas and we cuddle up and watch movies. I’ll even get the smaller play pen set up and have Hayden in there with us.”

Spencer smiled as Jackson stood.

“That sounds wonderful.”

“Okay, give me a few minutes. Why don’t you get into some comfortable night clothes and I’ll get everything ready.”

Spencer shuffled into the bedroom, then Jackson got everything ready for a day of lazing on the pull out in the den, him taking care of Spencer and Hayden, and Spencer resting so he could get over this flu as soon as possible.

Once ensconced, after taking medicine and having some tea and toast, Spencer snuggled down with Jackson while they watched a batch of so-bad-it’s-good sci fi movies. Jackson had never felt like this before. Being the one to take care of the family, it made something in his heart swell over. If he hadn’t loved Spencer already, this would have made him tumble.

When it came time to pick up the kids from school, Jackson made Spencer promise to stay put. He got some more tea, and thought to himself that he would pick-up Spencer’s favorite chinese food for their dinner on the way home.

After getting Hayden bundled up, he headed out. As he was driving, his phone rang, using the handsfree controls in the car he answered. When Aaron’s face came up, Jackson smiled.

“How’s it going?” Aaron asked.

“Spencer has the flu. I’ve made him stay home. There was no way that he would be able to do work.”

“That must be a first. Spencer never gets sick.”

“I think it was that bug that Hayden picked up at the babysitters last week. Believe me, keeping Spencer down has not been easy. But, promises of bad sci-fi movies and cuddles on the pull-out had him complying, at least for now.”

Aaron looked smug and Jackson just shook his head.

“What?” Jackson couldn’t help that he sounded exasperated at his lover’s look. “You thought I couldn’t do it did you?”

“You’ve never had a family like this, Jax. And, I’ll admit, I thought you would go hide out somewhere till I got back.”

“Hmm, shows what you know, Aaron Hotchner.”

“And you love it, don’t you?”

Jackson took a deep breath and chuckled.

“Yeah, I kind of do. Though Aria was trying to get me to get her a dog. It was very hard to say no to those big eyes of hers.”

Aaron was about to say something when Jinto called out for him.

“I have to go. I’ll be home in a few days. I’ll call Spencer later tonight. Take care of them Jax, because I don’t know what I would do if any of them were gone.”

“I know exactly what you would do, Aaron. You’d reign down death and destruction till you had your revenge. Don’t worry, nothing is going to happen. I promise.”

Aaron didn’t say anything else as he hung up the phone. Jackson just laughed and wondered about Aaron’s worry. Hayden was falling asleep in the back seat as Jackson pulled up to the school. Jack hand a hold of Aria’s hand as they walked towards the car. Jackson got them in and settled before he asked about their day.

“Hey buddy, how was school?”

“It was good, we got a new student in my class.” Jack was biting at his lip as he looked out the window.

“Jack, what’s wrong?”

Jack shrugged his shoulders and kept looking out the window. Jackson decided that maybe this conversation needed to be had at home.

“Papa Jax, I maded you a picture.” Aria was trying to give him a piece of paper.

“Honey, why don’t you hold onto that till we get home, then you can show me.”

“Okay.” Jackson looked in the rearview mirror and saw that Aria was holding it pretty hard in her little hand. He shook his head and tried not to be so charmed. They made it home and getting the three of them inside the house was a chore all in of itself. Hayden didn’t like to be woken up and he was crying, Aria was jumping up and down trying to show Jackson the picture, and Jack was sullen and looked like he had something on his mind. Sighing, all Jackson could do was usher the three of them inside.

Jackson got Hayden in his playpen where he was still crying, he then turned to Aria and finally took her picture, smiling at the finger painting that looked like it was supposed to be all of them as a family. It was brighter than some of her previous paintings that had been dark, with very dark imagery. He knew she was working through the emotions of what happened between her real parents. It had been slow going for a while, but the counselor they had gotten for her was the best thing they could have done.

“This is beautiful sweetie. Here, let’s put in on the fridge.” Jackson laughed because he never thought he would have someone to do that for. His Mother had always done it for him.

Aria took his hand and they walked out towards the den where Jackson had left Spencer.

“PAPA!” She near screamed as she ran into room and jumped on the bed. Spencer was about to put her off when Jackson stilled his hand.

“Your fever broke and if anyone else was going to catch it they would have had symptoms same time as you. Let her, she missed you.”

Spencer just smiled and held the little girl next to him, the two quietly talking about their day. Jackson then went to find Jack, who was reading on his bed.

“Okay buddy, what’s wrong?”

“I kinda like this girl, she’s really pretty. Long hair and pretty eyes. We have a few classes together. But, the new student, when they were introduced to the class my stomach felt funny and, I don’t know…”

“You felt attracted to them?” Jackson noticed Jack didn’t use any pronouns. He wasn’t sure if that was how the new student wanted it, or if there was another reason.

Jack nodded as he played with his the corner of his pillow.

“Jack, is the new student a boy?” Jackson had a gut feeling about the gender of this new student.

“Yes. Papa Jax, what does this mean?”

“Jack, it might not mean anything. Or it might mean that you like boys and girls. You’re growing up and changing. You’ll be discovering a lot of things about yourself and who it is you want to be with. Maybe try to make friends with this boy and see what happens. And know that you can talk to any of us.”

“I know Papa. Growing up is _so hard._ ” Jack flopped down on the bed on his back rather dramatically and Jackson just shook his head.

“I know kiddo, but you have a lot of people around you who love you. And you know that none of us will ever be upset over who you choose. What feels right for you.”

Jack sat up and threw his arms around Jackson and gave him a hug.

“Now, why don’t you go play some games for awhile, I think you’ve earned it.”

Jack jumped off the bed and tried not to run to the game room. Jackson knew this was only the beginning of the end for them. Jack was hitting puberty and god help them. Rubbing his head Jackson knew they were going to be in for a ride.

Sighing he stood and made his way back to the den where Spencer had fallen asleep again with Aria still snuggled up to him. He let them be then made his way to the kitchen where he spoke with the chef, who was already making a batch of soup and some fresh bread.

Rossi was staying at his own apartment for a little while and Jackson knew Tony and JJ were out for the evening. Derek and Charlie had been house hunting, and while everyone was establishing their own places outside the mansion, he knew Aaron was going to miss seeing them everyday. Even if the man wouldn’t admit it. Puttering around, Jackson was at a loss of what to do. He knew he could go to his office and work, but he didn’t want to be in the middle of something if Spencer needed him.

He went to go check on Hayden, and the boy was standing in his playpen, chewing on the teething ring Spencer had bought him. Jackson picked the boy up, then chose a few of the kids books, then settled in the rocking chair and started to read to him. The baby sat still for some of it, but then started to bounce on Jackson’s lap, cooing and giggling. Jackson put the books down and just played with Hayden for a little while. When the boy finally fell asleep, Jackson put him in his crib. By that time, it was dinner time.

“Hey, chef made some soup, think you can eat?” Jackson checked on Spencer who was waking up.

“Need a shower first.” Spencer slid out from under the covers and stood on shaky legs. Jackson felt his forehead and noticed he wasn’t as warm.

“You’re soaking, I think your fever broke. Go take a shower, then we’ll sit down and have dinner, then decide what you want to do later.”

Spencer nodded and made his way to the bedroom. Jackson got Aria up and took her to her room to change as well. After she was settled in with a book, Jackson went to check on Jack.

“Hey buddy, dinner is ready.”

“Yay, I’m starving.”

Jackson just shook his head. That was Jack’s mantra lately. Kid was always hungry. He knew Aaron was grateful that chef kept a drawer of snacks and small plates in the fridge just for Jack. Thankfully they were fairly healthy. Aaron didn’t normally like junk food, and Spencer tried to only indulge once-in-a-while. Jack didn’t seem to care, he was getting to that age where food was food, even if he like mac-n-cheese a little too much or burgers and fries. They all chalked it up to a growing boy.

Jack and Aria were at the table, Jackson brought Hayden in and placed him in his high chair. Spencer was shuffling in, he had put on some sweatpants and a tshirt of Aaron’s. Jackson knew he was missing the man. Jackson wrapped his arms around Spencer and held him close a moment.

“He’ll be home soon,” Jackson whispered in Spencer’s ear.

“I know. Just missing him.”

“I know love, come on why don’t you sit down and we’ll eat.”

The soup was served with a plate of sandwiches and a side of homemade crisps. It was simple, but perfect. After dinner, they all piled back into the den after Jackson changed the sheets on the pull out. Snuggling all together, they chose a movie, and before he knew it, Spencer was out like a light.

“I’ve never see Papa sick. Is he going to be okay?”

“Yeah, kiddo he’ll be fine. Just a bug he picked up.”

“Papa Jax?”

Jackson turned to look at Jack.

“Yes, kiddo?”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Jack said before he snuggled down against Spencer with Aria between Spencer and Jack. Jackson didn’t even try to hide his smile.

“Yeah, Jack. I’m glad I’m here too.”

* * *

The house was quiet with almost everyone out for the night, and the staff having gone to bed themselves. Spencer’s fever may have broken, but he was still feeling off. He knew he was going to have to take it easy for another day or two. Aaron would be pissed if he didn’t take care of himself and he got sick again. Spencer had woke-up, but he wasn’t sure why. He looked next to him and Jackson was sleeping soundly. Frowning, Spencer did something he rarely, if ever did. He used the emergency release on the cuffs. He liked the ritual of Aaron cuffing and uncuffing him, it was a reassurance thing, Spencer knew. But, something was wrong. He didn’t know how he knew, he just knew. Getting up out of bed, Spencer slowly and quietly walked through the room and grabbed a pair of jeans and slipped them on, then he grabbed a tshirt. He stopped to listen, but he couldn’t hear anything.

Going into the closet, Spencer unlocked the gun safe that was in there and grabbed two of his personal guns, as well as his favorite knife. Putting the guns in belt holsters, and clipping on the wrist holster for his knife, Spencer woke Jackson.

“Jackson, get dressed. Something is wrong.”

Jackson sat up and blinked several times and it took him a moment to figure out he was looking at not Spencer his lover, but Spencer the cold-blooded killer.

“What’s wrong, Spencer?”

Spencer slowly shook his head and took a deep breath.

“I don’t know, Jax, but something is. Get dressed then get Jack and go down to the panic room. I’ll handle what this is.”

Spencer could see that Jackson was going to try to protest, but Spencer again shook his head.

“Dominae, trust me, in this I know what I’m doing. I know you can fight, but you can’t do what needs to be done.”

“Spencer, you’re barely on your feet. I can’t just let you go head out into danger. If they hurt you…”

“If someone hurts me, Aaron will hunt down whoever is left and leave nothing of them. You know what and who we are Dominae. Please, you know I can take care of this, sick or not.”

Jackson knew Spencer was right. He didn’t have their mindset and the only time he could see himself killing was in defense of his family. Spencer went to the open gun safe, grabbed one of Aaron’s and handed it to Jackson along with an additional clip.

“Go, get Jack and get to the panic room. Come on” Spencer went first, he held his gun out in front of him and silently walked out of the bedroom. He stuck to the wall and slowly slid along with Jackson mimicking him behind him. They made it to Jack’s room, go the boy up and thankfully Aaron, Spencer and Prentiss had trained him in what to do. Spencer handed Jack his own weapon and Jackson watched wide eyed as the almost eleven year old checked it, then took the extra clip. Spencer led them back out and they took the back way down to the panic room.

Spencer then went back upstairs and made it to the kids room. He got Aria up, who, thankfully, stayed silent, then settled Hayden in a carrier so Spencer had a hand free. They started out of the room when Spencer was confronted with someone he didn’t know. He didn’t even think about it when he put two bullets in the man’s brain. Aria looked at him wide-eyes, but didn’t scream. She moved in closer to Spencer.

“Aria, baby, grab my belt with your hand. We are going to run quietly, do you understand?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“Good. And sweetie, whatever you do, don’t let go okay? And close your eyes if you see a bad guy. Remember, Papa loves you no matter what happens.”

“I love you too, Papa. Please don’t get ded.”

Spencer almost laughed at that as they started to run towards the hidden back elevator that took them directly to the panic room.

“Don’t worry, baby, I won’t.” Spencer was now pissed. People were in _his_ house where _his_ family was and this was not acceptable. When the elevator settled, he opened the panic room door, handed Jackson the baby, then Aria walked inside.

“Stay here. I’m resetting the code so only I can open it. If I’m not back in an hour, Jackson hit the emergency protocols. Jack, you know what to do, right?”

Jack looked like he was trying to be brave and Spencer was proud of him.

“Yes, Papa.”

“Good. I’m locking you in.”

Spencer shut the door, then started down the corridor. Looking in on Gideon he pressed his lips together and set the security protocols for his cell. Then quietly he headed back up stairs. This took less than ten minutes.

Getting back upstairs, Spencer started towards his secret room when he came upon two more of the people in his house. They had not seen him yet as he slipped into a doorway. They were talking and Spencer took a moment to listen to them.

“The Monet’s are supposed to be in this area, and the Van Gogh is in one of the offices. We have to be as quiet as possible. Even though Hotchner isn’t here, doesn’t mean his little leashed dog isn’t.”

Spencer narrowed his eyes and took offense at the slur. Coming out from the doorway he took perfect aim and killed the one to the right of him, and shot behind the legs on the other one. He screamed, but Spencer didn’t care as he moved close and kicked him in the head. Grabbing the man who was still alive, Spencer got his secret room opened, then pulled the man inside. Using his waning strength he got the intruder on his table and strapped down. He wiped his hands on the man’s pants, quickly drugged him so he would stay down, then went to his computer that held some of his smaller tech. He grabbed a device that showed the whole of the house on it and all of the heat signatures. The four grouped together in the downstairs Spencer knew was his family. He then picked out Gideon. The other rooms he knew exactly who was and wasn’t in them. Taking the device he left his room, saw the blood on the floor, but no one could tell there was a door there. Taking a deep breath, Spencer went on a hunt.

First thing was first when he came back to the second man down he grabbed his weapon, his tech and his walkie talkie. Spencer ran into the room right next to where they were, which was his own office, and searching through one of the drawers he found a drawstring bag he had stashed in there for some reason. He was glad he had it now as he stuffed all but the gun in the bag, and slung it over his shoulder. Using the home detector Spencer moved towards one of the dots, which was in the room with some of Aaron’s prized ceramic pieces. They were sculptures from one of his favorite artists, along with some pieces he has picked up over the years. Some were worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The thief was taking their time, which meant they had safe transport, it wasn’t going to be easy to take some of the pieces.

Spencer kept a watch on the other dots as he approached the room. He slowly opened the door and peeked around on the inside. The perpetrator had his back to the door and was bending down. Spencer waited, he breathed evenly keeping his heart rate down. Master Gou had taught him well and he was using all of that training now. The intruder stood and Spencer executed two perfect head shots. He scrambled inside, and stripped the man down like he had the other one. Spencer backed out of the room and locked the door down using security protocols.

Spencer saw one of the dots moving towards him, but he knew that it wasn’t one of the intruders, the man had come from the guardroom. Once the man was close, Spencer confronted him.

“What the hell happened?” Spencer hissed under his breath.

“Sir. these guys are smart. They had the video feeds on a loop, and by the time we figured it out, the outer perimeter was down, as was the house. But they barely had seconds. The back-up protocols that you recently installed they didn’t know about. So I’m thinkin’ these guys got their info from that Simmons guy you fired last month.”

Spencer thought about it and it made sense. He and Jackson had updated some of the security protocols just two weeks before with a back-up system if the main system was ever penetrated. These guys couldn’t know about the back-up, which gave Spencer a huge advantage.

“I’ve already taken out three of them. There are three more. Two in the gallery, and one seems to have found his way to mine and Aaron’s room. I think they are going to get to the false safe first, so I say we go after the ones in the gallery.”

“Your call, Sir.”

Spencer was feeling tired. The effects of the drugs he had last taken were wearing off, but he knew he needed to hold on, to finish this. Keeping to the walls still, Spencer and the guard made their way towards the gallery on the third floor that was connected to the ballroom. Using the device in his hand, Spencer started on the new protocols and locked down the ballroom, the gun room and range on the bottom floor, and the meeting rooms that were also on the third floor. He also locked the bedrooms, keeping the intruder in the bedroom there till Spencer could deal with him.

Putting the device back in his pocket, Spencer cleared the last step on the stairs and moved toward the gallery still keeping the wall to his back. He signaled the guard to go low and move down the hall to the gallery door. It was slightly open, and Spencer hadn’t used the new protocols on the gallery because he was pissed and wanted whoever was behind this. He carefully moved to the door and peeked inside. The two men were discussing how to deactivate the individual alarms on each painting when one of them got on their walkie talkie to speak with the other members of the crew.

“Number 3 come in.” The man waited and there was silence on the comm. “Number 3 where are you?” Still nothing. That meant that number 3 was one of the men that Spencer had already taken care of. “Number 4, where are you?”

“I’m locked in the fucking bedroom. No one is here and the safe we were told about? It’s a fake safe with cheap plastic knock offs. There is a cabinet here...holy shit. Boss this is some weird shit in here.”

“What is it?”

“These guys are into some freaky S and M or something. There is a lock. I’m goin to try to pick it.”

“Wait! These guys are too smart. Make sure there isn’t some trap on the lock.”

Spencer smirked to himself. There was a trap, but it wasn’t one could see. The lock, if picked would shoot out a poisoned needle from a tiny hole at the top of the lock. It looked like the holes that locksmiths use to squirt oil into on older locks. Plus the lock was intricate one designed by Spencer after he had figured out how to pick most locks. The key was unique and it was why only Aaron had a single copy of it.

“I don’t see anything boss.”

“Just be careful.”

The guard was looking at Spencer signaling if they should go in or not. Spencer signaled back to stay put. Not wanting to shoot and get blood over any of the art in the gallery, Spencer triggered his arm holster to get his knife in his hand. Trying to decide about a distraction, Spencer reached in his pocket to see if he had anything, but he didn’t. The guard saw him patting himself down and smiled. He pulled some marbles out of his pocket and Spencer knew that they were the guards sons marbles. He wasn’t going to question the man on why he had them, but it would make the perfect way for them to exit the gallery.

Spencer held up three fingers and counted down to one, then the guard bounced a couple of the marbles on the floor loud enough for anyone to hear.

“What the fuck was that?”

“Look, Boss, number 4 said that the owners of this place weren’t in bed. What are the odds?”

“Right, like some rich asshole is going to know what the fuck to do. Get your fucking ass out there and find out what the fuck is going on while I figure out these individual alarms.”

Spencer made himself flush with the wall, the adrenaline rushing through his body was the only thing keeping him going. The man moved to the door, looked out and didn’t see anyone. The Boss yelled at him, then he stepped out where Spencer grabbed him by the arm and pulled him flush to his body while slipping the knife through his ribcage and shoving in. The man gave a grunt of surprise and Spencer pulled it out, then quickly slit the man’s throat.

When the intruder thumped to the floor, the man called the Boss rushed out to see what was happening, the guard had his gun in hand and shot the man three times and he too went down.

“Now all we have to deal with is the man in the bedroom. You go call 911.”

“But, Sir…”

“It will be alright Mathers. These men came into my house and tried to take from us. No one is going to arrest me, I promise you.”

“If you’re certain, Sir.”

“I am. Now go, I can deal with the last one.”

Spencer was already feeling the effects of the adrenaline drain as he stumbled down the stairs and back to the bedroom. When he got there he took a few deep breaths as he closed his eyes to shore up some of his strength.

“The police are on there way. Who the fuck did you think you guys were? Huh?”

“What the fuck did you do to me?” The man held his hand out where the needle was sticking into his skin.

“That’s a poison of my own concoction. I specially designed that lock. There is only one key, and only one chance to try and pick it. When you fail a poisoned needle such as this one.” Spencer angrily grabbed the man’s arm and with his finger pushed it all the way into the man’s hand making him scream. Spencer kept pressure on the painful injury as he held the gun to the man’s head.

“I will ask you again. Who the fuck are you?”

“Th-th-th-the P-P-P-Pink P-P-Panthers. Fuck, that fucking hurts.”

“Oh, it will get a lot worse for you as the poison works through your body. Doctors won’t have an antidote because they won’t know what it is and you’ll be dead long before they can even come close. Now I do have an antidote, but you need to answer some questions.”

“Please, please anything, anything, wh-wh-what d-d-d-d-do you wanna know.”

“How the fuck had the brilliant fucking idea to break into my home and who told you how to get around the security protocols?”

“Simmons, his name is Simmons. He was pissed that he got fired and when word go out that the Panther’s were looking to break in here, he contacted the big boss and told him everything.”

“And why did you break in? Why the hell did you think you could steal from Aaron Hotchner and get away with it?” Spencer in one swift move grabbed the guy’s arm, spun him around and had him on the ground with a knee at his back. “Answer the fucking question. You’re running out of time.”

“We were told you had all this valuable art. We have buyers.”

“Who has a list of these buyers.”

“No, no no no no, no that I can’t tell you. He’ll kill me.”

Spencer leaned down even more putting pressure against the man’s spine. He screamed at how his arm was wrenched up further and Spencer had the knife at his neck. He had slipped it back out of its holster after having put it back after the killing outside the gallery.

“You are already dead. No matter what happens, even if I give you the cure and you go to jail, I can assure you when Mr. Hotchner hears about this, your life will have been forfeit. So, no matter what happens you’re dead. Now, tell me who set this up.”

“Alan Woodford. He’s the head. Please, please I’ve told you all I know.”

Spencer pulled the man up off the floor and shoved him out of the room and down the hall till they got to the dining room where Spencer made the man sit. He still held the gun to his head. The knock on the door had the guard coming out and opening the door.

“There was a 911 call from here?”

“In the dining room, officers.” Several officers swarmed into the room and saw Spencer with a gun. “Please don’t pull out your guns. I’m Dr. Spencer Reid, and this man has been poisoned by trying to pick a lock he shouldn’t have. I have the antidote, which I am happy to give to one of you if you don’t try to shoot me.”

“Dr. Reid, of course. We’ll take it from here.”

“Thank you officers.” Spencer was gone a few minutes and he came back with the antidote in an auto-injector. “He has about twenty minutes before he feels the full effect of the poison. If you want to risk him dying by all means take it.”

The officer looked like he was debating on what to do, finally he let Spencer give the man the antidote, He then gave the full accounting as several ambulances arrived. Spencer showed them the dead men, handed over the bag with the walkie-talkie and other things found on the intruder’s bodies. He gave his statement as did the guard.

“Look, I have to let my children and partner out of the panic room.”

“Alright, Sir. We’ll be in touch if we need a further statement than what you already gave us.”

Spencer stood and went down to the panic room and let Jackson and the kids out. Jack and Aria latched onto Spencer, then Jackson hugged him close. Steering the kids up stairs and around the blood that was staining part of the floor, Spencer let Jack go to bed, Jackson put Hayden in his crib, but Spencer picked up Aaria in his arms and went to his bedroom with, then laid down collapsing in exhaustion. By the time his daughter settled down, Spencer was out like a light. He knew there would be questions in the morning and that was soon enough for him. He was glad the whole thing was over, but he knew he wasn’t really going to settle till Aaron got home. Aria cuddled close to Spencer and by the time Jackson got into bed, she too was asleep.

Jackson would be there for them if either had any problems during the night, the next day would be plenty of time for questions and to call Aaron to tell him what happened. He had already called their publicist and got them on the media to keep what happened out of it. He would protect the family in his own way. As he settled down, he let out a sigh thanking every deity he could that they all came out of this alive.

# Our World

Some times having an office next door to Aaron's was a problem. Spencer thought as he sat on the floor and listened to Morgan and Aaron talk about the caseload and about how Morgan was putting the team into a burnout by not making sure that there was enough downtime between cases, it really wasn't a problem and more like something that Spencer was happy for doing. Spencer wasn't ashamed for listening.

The sound of a knock on Aaron's door was a shock though. Grace rarely ever interrupted meetings when Aaron was in them, and this very much was a meeting between Morgan and Aaron.

"Come in," Aaron's voice called out. Spencer listened as the door was opened. "Prentiss."

Spencer sat up straighter and turned to lay his ear against the door. Aaron would probably spank him for listening in, but Spencer didn't care. Prentiss was either looking for Morgan, or she had come to Aaron's office for a reason. Spencer was afraid of what it meant if it was the latter.

"Hotch, I would like to talk to you, alone, when you have a chance. Grace said you had a meeting in a little bit and this can't wait."

"Give me a minute, and I'll be done with Morgan," Aaron said. There was the sound of the door shutting, and Spencer looked over at his door as Grace shut it. Spencer wondered what that meant.

"Why does she want to talk to you?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know. Now Morgan, think about what I said. You are the one that keeps your team from breaking down."

"I know how to handle MY team, Hotch." The sound of a door opening and slamming into the metal doorstop on the other side had Spencer jumping. Morgan was not happy at all. Spencer dreaded the next case. Spencer grabbed his cell phone from the edge of the desk and brought up the app for the work email. He started to scroll through it. There was an email from one of the instructors at the Academy. Spencer opened it up as he heard the door shut again.

"Are you sure that you want to do this now?" Aaron asked, pulling SPencer's focus from the phone to the room again.

"Interpol is making me an offer I can't refuse, and I'm...listless here in DC. I spent all of that time trying to get back. Trying to figure out where Doyle was hiding and I'm just not happy here anymore. I'll miss the team, but the work just isn't making me happy anymore."

"I see." Aaron's voice was small. "And when are you leaving?"

"I'm officially handing you my two weeks notice. But I want to...I'm worried."

"About how Morgan is going to take it?" Aaron asked.

Spencer looked down at his phone and saw exactly what the instructor was telling Spencer about. A few of the classes had been repealed, and the instructor would like Spencer to come and sit in on a few of them. Spencer stared at the email and smiled. He had a plan. The next set of cadet training started in just a week, and it would be enough time for the team to find someone to replace Prentiss and Anderson had made mention of being willing to fill in on the team for short terms absences, like when JJ went on maternity leave the next time. Spencer would see about him taking SPencer's place while he was at the academy. Spencer opened up a fresh email and quickly typed out his want of going back to the Academy for remedial training in all aspects.

It was intriguing to see how he would do this time around to Spencer. He wondered if he could pass the things that he had failed the last time, horribly. He was interested in seeing the weapons training and seeing if he could qualify for some of the automatic weapons that he had never even got to touch before.

There was still silence in Aaron's office as Spencer emailed the correct people, Prentiss was really weighing her words well.

It was a full minute after that before Prentiss started to speak again.

"Yes. Morgan's trying his hardest to live up to being you, and it's not doing well."

"Yes, I know. I'm hoping that Morgan finds his footing soon. There is talk about how he's coming across to some of the LEOs on cases. I want to wait before something is done. I know that he doesn't like what the team is now like in the aftermath of me leaving, how he didn't get to choose who technically took his spot on the team. I hope that things level out before something drastic happens. I think that him getting to pick your replacement will help."

Spencer nearly jumped when his phone beeped that he had a new email. SPencer saw that it was his acceptance into the Academy as a "new" student. Spencer frowned and saw that there was something attached to it. He decided to wait to open that and instead brought up the forward button and added everyone on the team and Aaron's email to it and hit send.

"I hope that it will help him settle down. I can't help but wonder if part of his problem is me being on the team. It took him a while to settle after I rejoined the team."

Aaron's computer beeped, and Spencer lowered his head. He knew that it wasn't the best way to tell his lover what he was doing, but he knew that Aaron wouldn't deny it to him.

"Fuck," Aaron said in a show of emotion. Spencer heard the roll of the chair and moved as quick as he could to his desk and sat down in the chair, grabbing the mouse and opening up his email program. Spencer opened the email and was looking at the sheet that had been attached to the email when the doorknob turned, and Spencer plastered on a huge smile. He knew that Aaron would accept it, but he would be quicker if he thought it was something that Spencer was truly excited about.

"Yes?" Spencer asked.

"And exactly who is going to replace you on the team?" Aaron asked but his face wasn't showing worry about the team, he looked worried about Spencer.

"Anderson. He said that he would cover JJ's next pregnancy and I figured that he would be perfect for covering me while I go back to the Academy. I'm excited to try it now that I'm better at everything. See if I can get some of those scores into the passing zone and not have to have exceptions on so many. Also, the classes could be a lot of fun, looking at them less like a college student and more like a law enforcement officer that's coming from another job." Spencer kept the smile on his face as he stared at Aaron. He was excited about it. Passionate about giving it a go again. Being older and wiser and better at controlling his own body.

"You are going back to the Academy?" Prentiss asked as she stepped behind Aaron.

"I just got the acceptance letter."

"You know that Morgan can't deny it. There is no way to stop it. Not with the head of the Academy as excited as he is." Aaron turned his phone around and handed it over. Spencer saw the texts on it from a few of the other heads. The whole of it was asking why the team's genius was leaving. There was also a text from the director of the academy that was very childish for an adult about how he was intrigued to be teaching Aaron's genius. As Spencer was looking at the texts, another popped up, and Spencer read it. The man was telling Aaron that he would make sure that nothing happened to Spencer while he was sequestered at the academy and to make sure that he got away for a few meals with his family. Spencer wondered if the man meant the team or with Aaron and Jack.

"He calls me your genius."

"That's something that everyone has called you for years. Before Bale, it was Gideon's Genius, but after Bale and Gideon's time away from the team, it became my genius. I never realized when it stopped being a snide thing said and when it became something that they said with fondness. A few know that it's really MY genius now but not all of them."

"I really am looking forward to going back. It's been nearly a decade, and I'm better adjusted and better in control of my image. I am sorry I didn't discuss it with you, but I didn't expect an answer so soon or be slotted into this round. I thought we would have months to get ready. I can write letters to Jack every day. I'm sure I can get someone to give them to you. I want to do it like everyone else would. I want to do this on my own."

"I don't think that I am needed for this." Prentiss smiled at Spencer and stepped up to give him a hug. Spencer allowed it because he was sure that he probably wouldn't get alone time with her. "You'll do good, Spencer."

Spencer smiled at her and watched her leave through Aaron's office door.

"Spencer, I know you are lying, and it's for my benefit. You don't have to explain. I know that you had talked about wanting to maybe do it after your knee. There has never been a right time. I understand that you want to show yourself to everyone."

"I want to know that I can do it."

"We can talk to Jack, and he'll understand. We are heroes to him for doing what we do, and as long as we sell as it as you getting better at your job, he'll understand."

"I know, but I don't want to not write him just because he understands." Spencer glared at Aaron a little for the words he was saying.

"I didn't mean for you not to write to him. We will get something worked out. Daily letters. Maybe we can turn this into something good. Seaver was an excellent addition to the team. She had some good insight and maybe while you are at the academy and Morgan is looking for a replacement having another recent graduate or someone like that will be good. I'll talk to the director and see if he agrees." Aaron leaned in and gave Spencer a chaste kiss on his lips. "Get all of your work files cleared out and make sure that nothing is left hanging. If you are needed for a court in a case, an exception will be made at the Academy, it's been done before for other officers who are transferring. Morgan had to go back to Chicago for two while he was at the Academy."

"I won't be able to wear the collar while I am there."

"We shall see. If you don't want to wear it, that's fine. Married men and women are allowed rings, there are exceptions made for religious jewelry. If you want to wear it, I say wear it, and everything else can be dealt with as it comes up."

Spencer reached up and touched the edge of the collar. Feeling the weight of it. If he wore it at the Academy, there was more chance of being messed with but also that he would be seen as different. Which wasn't a bad thing. The world was changing. There was a broader range of people.

"You have a paper being published in a week and a half. I know that I was going to take you out that day, but now that's a little impossible. So this weekend, you and I will be going out somewhere fancy. If Jessica can't watch Jack, I'm sure that Dave will be willing. He made mention of anything to keep the stick from my ass."

"I'm surprised that he didn't say anything about watching Jack while we are on a date is a reason to make sure there isn't room for a stick in your ass."

The look on Aaron's face was priceless. There was something more to the look though, something that Spencer wasn't sure what to think about.

"Hold onto that thought until this weekend. Where you and I will pick it up after dinner."

Spencer nodded.

"You now need to call Jackson and tell him the good news," Aaron smirked at Spencer before moving back to his office and shutting the door.

Spencer stuck his tongue out at his lover, even though the man couldn't see him. He grabbed his mouse and opened the visual chat client that Jackson had built just for this reason. Spencer saw that Jackson had been active not too long before. Spencer clicked to start a call, and he pressed the call button that linked him to Grace in her office.

"Grace, my love. I'm going to be busy all day. Can you get me something for lunch?"

"Of course, did you want me to make a pot of the coffee that you like?"

"No, I'm going to stick with tea for today. I have a gallon of it in the fridge that I'll fill my cup with over the day."

"Well, the offer stands."

Jackson's face appeared on the screen, and Spencer held up a finger to him. Jackson just gave him an indulgent smile.

"Thank you, Grace. I'll let you know when I get hungry." Spencer ended the open channel between him and Grace and gave his full attention to Jackson. "With Jessica in a good position to take over some of my tasks for a while, I've made a decision for my career here at the FBI."

"Oh, yeah?"

"I'll have time to do the day to day things while I am at the Academy, but I won't be available for on site visits."

"You had made a comment about wanting it for maybe the next round."

"They accepted me within minutes of sending it."

"You did something stupid didn't you?"

"Prentiss is leaving to go to Interpol. On the heels of Aaron becoming Unit Chief, I just...a change is needed. I want to show those who have always second guessed me being on this team that I have grown up, I have changed."

"It will make the other units inside of the FBI think that you are looking for a new home. Those offers will pick up again." Jackson gave Spencer a shit eating grin. "You want to scare Morgan. You want him thinking that maybe you will go somewhere else."

"I more want to prove that I can do it but having Morgan think that he could lose me is a good upside."

"You are going to miss sleeping in bed with Aaron. Having Jack jump into bed with you."

"There will be a lot of things that I will miss about being at home with them."

"Home and you actually sound like you mean it. I'm glad that you two are settled more."

"Where are you?" Spencer didn't recognize the surroundings that were around Jackson's head, but it looked like a bedroom. There was a movement around Jackson's face, and Spencer knew the profile of the man there. Spencer smiled at the fact that Charlie was with Jackson wherever he was. Charlie wasn't saying anything, so that meant that he was still asleep.

"Toronto. I was coming here for a convention to try and woo some contracts. I have found that having a lovely companion on my arm stops a lot of the gold diggers from approaching me but having two companions keeps all of them away."

"I'm naked, and I don't want Spencer to see me naked," Jessica called out from somewhere off camera. Spencer wanted to laugh at the look on Jackson's face. Spencer didn't want to see her naked either, not after what he assumed was a night of passion between Jackson, Charlie, and her. "And Spencer, don't tell Aaron."

"My lips are sealed, but you will have to deal with it when he sees the pictures. He checks the news daily for Grimes Tech info." Spencer didn't even blink when Jackson looked up at where Jessica had to be. There was a look of happiness on his face when he did. Spencer wondered if he could head it off at the pass but not have to say exactly why he was bringing it up.

"We can talk shop later, it's early, and I want a little more relaxing before breakfast with sycophants."

"Poor Jackson." Spencer ended the call with a little smile on his face. There was a lot of work that he had to get done before everything blew up about him, about Prentiss. He wanted silence for a little bit.

* * *

Aaron pushed Spencer into the wall just outside the bedroom, Aaron's hands were framing the underside of Spencer's ribs, holding him right where the older man wanted him. Spencer's hands were trying to work the belt out of Aaron's pants, working on getting them where he wanted them, which was naked in bed.

Spencer had been out with Prentiss and JJ on a farewell shopping trip before she left for England. The transfer to Interpol had gone through quickly, and while Morgan had been upset, he had been diverted into finding a replacement for Prentiss as the team wasn't being allowed on a case until he had at least a list of applicants ready. Morgan was swamped with work that he couldn't foist off on Spencer, and it was good. Spencer was getting his docket clean of all case closures and even a few consults that had been earmarked for him. JJ was going to make sure that anymore that came in for him specifically made his way to him.

After the shopping trip, the girls had dropped him off at the restaurant that Aaron had booked for the celebratory meal over the newest paper that Spencer was putting out. Aaron had already been seated, a glass of water in front of him and a bottle of champagne in the ice bucket beside him. What had stopped Spencer dead in his tracks though was the pair of dark black, near painted on jeans that Aaron had been wearing as well as the fitted dress shirt tucked into his pants. Spencer had been aroused since then.

Aaron's hands were keeping Spencer up on the wall when all he wanted to do was drop to his knees and pull Aaron from his pants and suck him off. He had embraced that side of himself with relish. Spencer loved the feel of Aaron's cock in his mouth, the weight of it, the feel of it as it breached the back of his throat. The taste of his semen when his mouth was filled.

Spencer whined when Aaron pulled back from the kiss.

"Fuck, Spencer. I can tell what you want. You want to drop down to your knees and suck me off. Or you want me to throw you down on the bed and straddle your chest, feeding you my cock." Aaron bit at the junction of Spencer's neck and shoulder, moving the collar up enough that when he pulled away, Spencer felt the collar rubbing on the mark.

"Please."

"Not tonight. Tonight's something different. I am going to go into the bedroom, and you are going to count to one hundred and then join me."

"Yes, Sir." Spencer exhaled. Aaron pressed their lips together before he stepped back away from Spencer all the way. Spencer closed his eyes, starting to count.

The slow tick of numbers in his head didn't lower his arousal at all. He wondered what Aaron was doing. What Spencer was going to see when he entered the room. As the numbers ticked higher and higher in the back of his brain, Spencer's imagination was running wild. Sex throughout the week was fun but generally very vanilla, well vanilla for them. It was during days off that the more extreme things happened and Spencer liked it. Waking up with Aaron and getting off lazily, whether it was Spencer sucking him off or frottage. The mornings were his favorite time.

At one hundred, Spencer pushed off the wall and opened the door. Spencer expected to see things laid out on the bed. To see anything other than what he did see, which was Aaron stretched on his back, naked. There was nothing set out, nothing sitting on the nightstand beside lube. Spencer almost felt let down about the fact that it seemed that they were just going to have sex.

Something had to have shown on Spencer's face, or it was the way that he stopped moving because Aaron barked out a sharp bit of laughter.

"You look like a kid that wanted a bicycle for Christmas and all he sees his clothes. Come here. Naked." Aaron crooked his finger at Spencer beckoning him forward. Spencer stepped forward, working his suit off. He hung each piece up on the back of the chair that Aaron's clothes were on. Shoes had been abandoned at the front door, and along the way, socks had gone away as well.

Spencer got up onto the bed, and Aaron spread his legs and Spencer could see that he was hard. Spencer didn't ask permission as he ducked his head down to lick at the head of Aaron's cock. Aaron's hand grabbed him by his hair and pulled him up to where he was straddling Aaron's waist just to stay upright, his ass cheeks brushing on Aaron's cock.

"You'd be happy if you never did anything but suck my cock for the rest of your life, wouldn't you?"

"Not happy exactly but I could be content with it."

"I'm glad. I could be content with it as well, but tonight, it's not what I want."

"What do you want?" Spencer wiggled his hips enough to get Aaron excited for what was going to happen. He knew that it was going to be Aaron fucking him or him fucking himself on Aaron, given their position. "You'll have to let me or will have to get me the lube if you want to fuck me in this position."

"Or I can do this." Aaron reached out with his free hand and grabbed Spencer's cock. Spencer hissed at the barely warmed lube that was spread on it. He couldn't help but jerk his hips at the sensation. Aaron's thumb played with the head of his cock and the bar there. "How do you want me?"

"Huh?" Spencer asked, looking down at Aaron, blinking. Aaron though just looked at him for a few seconds before he leaned up enough to kiss Spencer.

"How do you want me? Do you want me on my back, on my hands and knees?"

"Back," Spencer answered before he could even fully process what Aaron was saying. Spencer had taken the other Aaron from behind after his Prince Albert had healed up. Aaron's hand let go of Spencer's hair, and Spencer waited for Aaron to lower his legs before he slipped back. A few seconds of moving and Aaron's legs were spread again with Spencer in between them. He looked at Aaron, taking in the minute shaking of his body. "Finger yourself."

Aaron groaned as he moved to where he could slip a finger inside of himself. Spencer kept an eye on Aaron's hand and on his face as the man worked from a single finger up to two. Spencer waited until he could tell that Aaron was about to slip a third inside when he gently pulled the fingers from Aaron's body. He picked up the hand towel that was always there and tossed it onto Aaron's chest before he nabbed the lube from the stand and slicked up three of his fingers. Spencer pushed his pointed finger inside of Aaron, more playing than anything else. Aaron was pretty loose from just excitement than anything else. Spencer slipped a second finger inside of him on the next outward thrust.

Spencer gave Aaron a wicked groan before he curled his fingers, brushing over Aaron's prostate. There was nothing that Spencer would ever do to hurt Aaron, so he played, varying between two and three fingers, relaxing him even more and making him so aroused that Aaron was barely holding on. Spencer spread his fingers out and then cleaned up. He made sure that his cock was still shiny from lube before he pressed the head of his cock at Aaron's hole. Spencer gently eased his fingers out, pressing in with his cock as soon as the digits were free. Aaron's body didn't even fight at all, allowing Spencer to slip all the way inside of him in seconds. As soon as the skin was flush on skin, Aaron gasped and locked his eyes with Spencer.

"Fuck, Aaron," Spencer whispered, afraid to break the spell that was between them. He had never felt something as good as what this was. Aaron reached down and grabbed Spencer's hip as he pulled out the first time, slowly sliding back inside of him. Aaron's eyes were closed tight.

"That...Spencer, harder."

"No, I'm fucking you for the first time, and that means I'm going as slow as I want to go." Spencer knew that he had his rhythm down, so he leaned down, prompting Aaron to wrap his legs around Spencer's waist, changing the angle of his thrusts enough to rip a small moan from Aaron's throat before Spencer kissed him. He knew that the other had enjoyed being fucked by Spencer's pierced cock, but this was something entirely different. This was something that Spencer was enjoying more because Aaron was looking enraptured. There was a look of bliss on his face every single time that Spencer slid back inside of him. Spencer almost didn't want to lean down and kiss him and lose sight of that look, but he wanted to kiss him.

Aaron was babbling by the time that Spencer's thrusts picked up in speed and his strength. Spencer was hanging on sheerly for wanting Aaron to come first. There was no way that Spencer was going to be able to hold on until Aaron told him to come. Spencer braced himself up, a hand on the headboard to keep himself up and his thrusts were as hard as he dared to do them. Aaron's mouth dropped open, and he came, breathlessly. The first clench of muscles around his cock as Spencer thrust back inside of his lover had him coming. He pressed himself in as far as he could go and emptied himself inside of Aaron.

Spencer let himself drop, his hands catching him so that he didn't hurt Aaron but he was boneless as he laid on Aaron. Aaron's arms wrapped around him and he was held and petted as Aaron babbled nonsense on how good it was. Spencer didn't say anything back, knowing that Aaron needed the release of what he was saying more than anything else. He was aware that what had happened the time that the other Spencer had tried to fuck him. This was a cleansing for the both of them.

"I love you," Aaron whispered before he drew Spencer's face close to kiss him.

"I love you, too."

"So the Director of the FBI sent a link to the preview of your article to me as the head of the BAU. What exactly have you been researching that you wrote a paper about the social and emotional aspects of collars as a show of love and commitment for a new range of relationships? Are you trying to piss of psychologists?"

"No. So many publish just to specific circles within the closed BDSM community, and I saw what the world is like when it's out and there and not ashamed. I won't be shamed by the collar that I wear. You are right that it's like a wedding ring, but it's more than that. It says that I am loved. Weddings happen when they really shouldn't. I would have put on a ring of marriage from you before this whole thing happened. I would have worn it, and I would have been happy but this," Spencer reached up and brushed a knuckle on the edge of the leather, "Means more than a ring ever could. We fought for this. Bared ourselves in ways that connect us on a level that a married couple would balk at. You see me, and I see you. If my single paper sparks something that rolls and rolls until it's not a shame for Submissives to wear their collars out and about where the world can see, then I will gladly take that."

"You aren't worried about your job?"

"Until the project with Grimes Tech is fully up and running in all fifty states and with Canada, no. When I signed the contract with Grimes Tech, there was a clause that the Director of the FBI agreed to that outside of getting caught killing someone on the job or getting someone killed on the job means that I can't be fired from the FBI until the end. I can be moved out of the BAU, but that's it."

"Wow."

"No one wants to piss of Jackson."

"Yes, I got a lecture from Jessica that I can't be a prude around her. She's like my sister, and I got a matter of fact speech from her about how she's having fun. What exactly is she having a good time with?"

"Being free I think. Jessica trusts Charlie, and she trusts Jackson."

"So that was her in Canada with Jackson this week?"

"It was Grimes Tech business but yes."

"I'm glad she's happy. That's all I have ever cared about." Aaron wrapped his arms around Spencer and held him tight. "Let's cuddle and then see about watching a movie while we fall asleep. One of those sappy ones that just give you warm feelings."

"Thank you," Spencer said. He hadn't meant to go on a rant.

"I think that we will be doing that more. You feel good inside of me."

Spencer grabbed the towel again and cleaned them both off enough to not feel disgusting as he moved to the side to lay his head on Aaron's shoulder.

"I'm glad." Spencer didn't know what to say to what Aaron said. He was glad that Aaron had liked it. He would have been happy with Aaron never trying it though, given what had happened with Foyet. Just thinking about that meant that Spencer started to get upset that Aaron had lied to the team, and even to him for so long. He pushed that away, not wanting it to mar the good of the night.

"I'm serious, Spencer. Hey." Aaron turned Spencer's head up and smiled down at him. "I do like it, and it doesn't mean a damned thing. Maybe next time, I'll hold you down and ride you until you scream."

"That could be fun."

"I could ride you until you come and then crawl up you and fuck your face."

"That sounds even better." Spencer smiled and pressed a kiss into Aaron's chin before closing his eyes, wanting a few minutes of just laying there before he got up and showered. Aaron chuckled and wrapped an arm tighter around Spencer giving him the peace that Spencer wanted.

* * *

Spencer heard the other cadets as they laughed and joked after a day of hard classes and even more challenging training. Spencer was used to the wake-up times of Aaron and him so that they could possibly get a run in and so he was usually up before any of the other cadets. Spencer ran most days, with the sun just hitting over the horizon. He only ran the mornings that they were in classrooms to start the day.

"Yo, Reid!" one of the cadets yelled, and Spencer turned to look at him. Marvin Motley was his name, and he at least talked to Spencer like he was normal. Everyone else looked at him as a freak. The only thing that the cadets knew about his was his degrees. The higher up in the Academy wanted it kept quiet that he was an actual FBI member. There were lots of reasons given, but the main thing that Spencer got out of it was they wanted to know how an older academic would be treated if wooed into the FBI.

"What?" Spencer called back.

"Have you heard the news?"

"What news?" Spencer folded up the letter he had been writing to Jack and stuffed it into the envelope.

"The A-Team for the BAU was involved in a shootout. No one injured but they found a homegrown terrorist cell in Wyoming. The news is buzzing about it. That's the team I want to be on."

"You are insane. There is no chance of you getting onto the BAU, not until you put in a few years with another unit and then request a transfer," one of the other cadets called out.

Spencer grabbed his phone and saw that there was a text from Aaron. Aaron had gone out with the team on the case, mainly to evaluate Anderson and the new girl, Kate Callahan. The text was short, and it said that Aaron would be getting home too late and to use the same method of letter delivery that they had been. Also that the whole team was all right.

"I heard they pulled a cadet out of Academy before. Some special egghead."

"And I heard that he put a gun in his mouth after a few years."

Spencer kept his face blank. He had heard that rumor. The Academy was full of wild stories, but Spencer really wondered how in the hell that one got started. The only thing that he could think of was that it was after Gideon left and it was a melding of Gideon leaving and Spencer deciding to stay, despite his mentor being gone. Spencer knew that Gideon had hoped that Spencer would have followed him into leaving. He wondered exactly how long the man would have waited before swooping in and acting like a consoling father, only to turn it into something perverted.

"We have the gun range bright and early in the morning. The teacher is a hardass, and I hear that we are going to have a special guest," Motley said as he finally dropped down onto his bed. Spencer turned off the light in his area and closed his eyes. Gun range meant that Spencer needed to run.

The morning came early for Spencer, and he was showering after his run when the others started to get up. Spencer was dressed and going to get breakfast, grabbing a courier just arriving to give the letter to. Sandra was the name of the lady today. She had been the one to see him the most. From Sandra, the letter would get dropped off by another BAU member at Aaron and his apartment, where Jessica was staying at the moment to give Jack a little bit of regularity while his father was on a case and Spencer was in the Academy. Every other night, Spencer called and talked to Jack. Tonight, Spencer would be able to speak with both of them.

"Reid," Motley said as he sat down in the seat across from Spencer. "I heard that the guest this morning is an asshole."

"Still haven't heard a name?"

"No, but I did hear that he's a former SWAT member. You said that you had some extra training from a friend who used to be SWAT. FBI SWAT or civilian?"

"FBI. I'm not giving pointers. I'm sure that you'll do fine. Just don't scream when your gun jams again."

"You carry a backup gun and are the only one to do so. Come on, let me buddy up with you today?" Motley asked. The younger man's eyes never tracked down to the collar that was just visible under the collar of his shirt. Motley was the only Cadet who hadn't blinked once at the collar. Other cadets had made a big fuss about it. One Cadet had tried to grab Spencer's collar, and Spencer still didn't know if he wanted to get him on his knees to Dom him or if he had been trying to get the collar off of Spencer, but no matter what, it hadn't happened. As Spencer had felt his collar being touched, he'd reacted just like Derek had taught him. They had been out on the exercise field, and there were instructors all over, but none had rushed to help the other Cadet. Spencer had got him to his knees and then down to his stomach hands behind his back and Spencer's knee digging into his lower back. No one had touched Spencer since then, but that didn't stop the remarks. No one saw him as a threat to their career goals because they all assumed he was going into White Collar Crimes given his most lauded degrees. Not the newer doctorate in Psychology that he had got or the continuation of the degree that the other Spencer had started in sociology.

"Why should I pick someone when I've never done so before?" Spencer asked.

Motley frowned, but he wasn't looking at Spencer. He was looking behind Spencer at someone else. Spencer didn't turn around to look, but he knew who had entered in.

"Who is that?" Motley asked.

"Who is he with?"

"Agent Greenlee."

"Then I would say that he's the guest for firearms training." Spencer picked at his bacon and let himself smile. Today was sniper rifle training. Spencer was rather excited for it.

"Cadets, we are starting an hour early. Stuff your faces and let's go," Greenlee called out.

Spencer shoved the last piece of bacon inside of his mouth and grabbed his tray before moving towards the drop off area. Spencer didn't even look at Aaron, even though he knew that he was there. He could feel his lover's eyes on him the entire time. There was little that Aaron could do and Spencer not know it. He missed his partner so much. His body ached for him.

"Cadet Reid," Greenlee called out, and Spencer stopped in his tracks to leave to head over towards the gun range and turned back around to face Greenlee and Aaron. Motley was on Spencer's heels, and Spencer smirked. Motley wanted SWAT as much as he wanted BAU and SWAT was a good way to get to the BAU. "Cadet Motley. This is Section Chief Aaron Hotchner of the BAU."

There was a smirk on Greenlee's face, and Spencer knew that Greenlee had talked Aaron into doing a class just to fuck with Spencer. Spencer was constantly giving feedback as both an agent going back through the Academy and as an academic entering for the first time.

"Cadets," Aaron said.

"Sir," Spencer said and nodded his head.

"Agent Hotchner, Sir. It's an honor to meet you."

"Cadet Reid, I want you to go with Agent Hotchner and make sure that everything is set up the way that he wants it."

Aaron smirked at Spencer, and Spencer knew that something was up.

"With me, Cadet," Aaron said, and Spencer didn't even have to fake the stutter in his step to fall into step with him. It sounded like Motley tried to follow, but Greenlee stopped him.

"How did you swing this?" SPencer asked.

"Greenlee is constantly trying to get me to help with a class or two, but I've always put him off. Even this round I did, but when he offered me an hour after his first class today to do what I want on the smaller range that's limited to SWAT education, I couldn't pass him up."

"You are telling me that you didn't agree so that you could see me but so that you could play with guns alone in a range?"

"No. I'm telling you that I have an hour on a deserted gun range with a camera that's on the fritz so no one could ever tell what I am doing."

Spencer snapped his mouth shut as he thought about what Aaron was saying.

"We got back from Wyoming in time to get enough sleep for me to do this class but the team is on stand down. We have two days off and a psych evaluation before we are allowed back into the field. Of course, that doesn't stop me from working, so I am taking today to spend with Jack."

"He'll enjoy that."

"Greenlee and I have the range set up. This is just another instance to allow me time with you. How are you really doing? I know that the calls happen when you are around others, but I've not heard too much from the others here about how you are doing?"

"There are still some aspects that I'm going to barely pass, but I'm going to get any exceptions this time. I'm doing a lot better in firearms as I am sure that you'll see."

"I had a little fear about what this would do, and neither of us needs to be sporting an erection. I know that I can maintain but you..." Aaron gave Spencer wicked grin as he pointed at the bathroom. Spencer frowned but stepped inside. It was a seven stall room, and Spencer watched as Aaron locked the door. "Show me your cock, Spencer."

Spencer didn't hesitate to open his pants and pull his shirt up to where it was being held by his armpits. He wasn't wearing underwear as he never did when he was in the regular cadet uniform. He only wore underwear when out on the exercise field.

Aaron stepped up close and pulled a cock cage out of the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Spencer's cock started to fill at the sight of it. Aaron smirked as he gently and slowly worked it onto Spencer's cock. It was the dark purple leather one that Spencer loved and hated in equal measure. Aaron wrapped the strap under his balls, and the snap echoed around the silent room. Spencer hissed as his cock was constrained entirely in the cock cage before Aaron pulled his shirt down and tucked it back into his pants before making Spencer presentable again.

"Now I don't need to worry about you coming while I am showing off my sniper skills. After class, you are going to suck me off in that gun range, Spencer. I might let you come, depends on how good you are during class." Aaron looked Spencer up and down before pressing a gentle kiss on his lips. "Go."

Spencer fled the bathroom as fast as he could, ambling down the hall towards the gun range that the class used. There was no one inside, and Aaron followed behind him at a more sedate pace.

The class that followed was an education in exactly what Aaron was like when he was in SWAT. He was more intense, more focused. It reminded Spencer of that gun lesson that Aaron had given him in the aftermath of Gideon coming back to the team. Spencer was glad that he hadn't started to like the man yet or he would have never been able to hide what he felt in that gun range all alone.

"Only Cadet Reid has trained for backup weapons while here at the Academy. He favors a revolver for his primary weapon but a Glock 26 as his backup."

"Really?" Aaron turned and looked at Spencer, his face was impassive, but Spencer could see the look in his eyes. Spencer reached down and pulled out his backup weapon. He had been cleared to wear it during classes, and Aaron hadn't seen him slip it on. Spencer stepped up to Aaron and handed over the gun. The look of minute shock on his face as he took in the same backup gun that he had used to use and had given Spencer seven years before. "An excellent choice."

"I do better with the revolver, but this gun is a good backup."

"I've seen him do headshots with it," Greenlee said. Spencer turned to look at the man, frowning. Greenlee had been the one to do his qualifications after the Dowd case. Aaron had made it so that he could retake it just after they got back. Spencer had passed with his best score ever, and it only got better over the years.

"I'm sure that Cadet Reid can do a lot when he's scared," Aaron mused before he handed back the gun. "You care for that weapon a lot."

"It's never failed me."

"Okay, class. Agent Hotchner will be back at some point. He's tired after his last case and needs to get some sleep so hold questions for a later time. Cadet Reid, you get to clean up after class today." Greenlee ushered all of the other Cadets out of the range, and Aaron pointed to the secluded range that was on the other side of the room. The door was the only way in and it was sound proof.

Aaron snapped the lock as soon as Spencer shut the door. Spencer didn't even wait for Aaron to utter a single word. He dropped down to his knees and worked open Aaron's pants, finding him hard as a rock. Spencer didn't even hesitate as he took the entire cock into his mouth. Spencer wasn't going to finesse or even anything that would last. He fucked his mouth on Aaron's cock. Aaron let Spencer do as he wanted, sucking his cock with more passion than skill but Spencer wanted to feel it. He wanted his jaw to ache and for his throat to be raspy for the rest of the day.

Spencer worked Aaron to orgasm in record time. Aaron gasped as he filled Spencer's mouth and held Spencer right where he wanted him, finally touching Spencer just to keep him in place. Aaron didn't let him go or pull his cock out of Spencer's mouth until Aaron was sufficiently soft and his cock totally clean. Not a single drop of release was outside of Spencer's mouth.

"You look so good on your knees, lips puffy, and eyes watering," Aaron murmured. Spencer knew that to anyone else the words would have been a slight but Aaron meant that he only looked good because Aaron was the only one to ever see it. "Up."

Spencer pushed himself up and wasn't shocked when as soon as he was on his feet, Aaron kissed him, chasing the taste of himself inside of Spencer's mouth and pressing him into the door. Spencer gave into the submission that his body and mind wanted. He gripped the shirt under Aaron's suit jacket and just hung on. His cock was hard and pressed into his pants, Aaron rubbing his hip into it in a maddening rhythm.

"How are you?"

"Fine, Sir."

"Good. Can you maintain control to get a few shots off?"

"Yes."

"Good. Pick your spot, and I'll bring over the gun. I have your revolver here with me from home. The backup one that you bought. I want you to empty the cylinder."

"Yes, Sir." Spencer set himself up on the middle lane and waited for Aaron to come over with the gun case. Spencer made sure that his weapon was just as he had left it and saw that Aaron had cleaned it recently. Spencer found the box of ammo and loaded up the cylinder of his gun.

Once Spencer was ready, Aaron was there behind him, but he didn't give the command for Spencer to fire. Instead, he reached around and undid Spencer's pants. As soon as Spencer's ass was bared, he felt slick fingers work in between his cheeks. Spencer shifted his feet and braced himself. Aaron worked two fingers inside of him, just enough to lube him up before pulling his fingers free.

"Empty the cylinder. Six kill shots or you don't get fucked."

Spencer inhaled and focused on the paper at the end of the lane. It was a full body paper outline of a human. Kill shots were not that hard when one had the time to line them up. Aaron had put no time limit. Spencer mapped each of his shots. One shot on each side of the femoral artery. A shot to the heart. A shot to just above the neck, inside the mouth, hitting the brain stem. That would take out the spine, and another just above that would sever the jugular. The final was a shot to the middle of the forehead. Spencer opened the cylinder and cleared all chambers of brass before setting the gun down. He was hard and aching, and Aaron wasn't touching him.

"Bend over just a little."

Spencer did, and he was rewarded with a hard cock sliding into him. Aaron reached around and gripped Spencer's cock, still trapped in the cock cage.

"You are so wet. I bet there is a puddle on the floor, Spencer. I miss this. Feeling myself inside of you. Feeling you try and hold on just to make me happy." Aaron thrust into Spencer as hard as he could from the position that he was in. "You aren't ever going anywhere ever again for this long."

"Yes, Sir." Spencer was near breathless at the feeling of Aaron inside of him. He groaned as Aaron's cock rubbed along his prostate perfectly. The only thing keeping him from coming was the cage. Spencer closed his eyes, not caring about where they were and only caring about the fact that Aaron was inside of him. Aaron was there.

Aaron came with a cry muffled in Spencer's neck. A shaky hand stroked up and down Spencer's encased cock a few times before Aaron unsnapped each strap along the cock, saving the one around his balls for last.

"Come," Aaron whispered before he unsnapped the last one.

Spencer's vision whited out as he came. Aaron held him up, and Spencer could feel one of his hands at the head of his cock, catching his release. When Spencer could stand on his own two feet, he looked down to see that Aaron had caught his release in his hand that had a handkerchief in it. Spencer started to put himself to rights as soon as Aaron released him. When he was done with himself, he turned around and put Aaron back together as well. Aaron cupped his face and kissed him.

"I'm not going to be able to look Greenlee in the face for a few days."

"He's not going to be able to look you in the face either."

"Just a few more weeks, Aaron and then I am back."

"I can see the change in yourself, Spencer. You are more centered. Even more sure of yourself. I didn't think it was possible, but it is. I'm glad that you came here and you are right, and we'll survive the next few weeks. Now I'm going to hang back, but you go on ahead to your next class."

"Yes, Sir, Agent Hotchner, Sir." Spencer spun away from him before Aaron could reach out and grab him. Aaron didn't try and follow him any further as he unlocked the door and left the gun range. Aaron would clean up.

* * *

Graduating from the Academy for the second time was a lot better than it had been the first time. This time he wasn't scared and wasn't graduating by the skin of his teeth. He wasn't the top of his class, but that was because a few were better at him at the physical aspects. Grades he was the best, but that was a given. The thing that made it the best though was seeing Aaron and Jack in the crowd. JJ and Will were waiting to take him out to eat, but Spencer had only had enough room for two and agreed that Jack and Aaron were more important. Henry had been able to tag along with

"So, what unit are you wanting?" Motley asked as the graduates all gathered around. The small group of friends that Spencer had made while in the Academy.

"Anders is trying to trade up I think," Morales said.

Spencer turned to see that Aaron was indeed fending off one of the other graduates. Aaron was looking around for help, but no one was coming to help him.

"Why is Agent Hotchner here?"

"He was in the crowds with parents and spouses."

"He's already married," Morales said.

"What?" Motley asked.

"That's the scuttlebutt of the other agents. That he's married. He doesn't wear a ring, but I've heard nothing about his spouse."

"UNCLE SPENCE!" Henry yelled, and Spencer crouched to catch the near flying boy as he leaped at Spencer. Jack was on his heels, and after Spencer settled him on his hip, Jack wrapped his arms around Spencer's waist.

"Hey, Jack-Jack."

"Reid, who is this?"

"My Godson Henry and my son Jack."

"Son? You are married?" Motley asked, his eyes going to the collar.

"Spencer," Aaron said as he stepped up close to them. Spencer looked and saw that Anders was looking at where they were. "Hello."

"Agent Hotchner, it's good to see you again. How do you know Reid?" Motley asked.

"I've been in the BAU since I graduated the Academy the first time. None of you ever asked me where I was transferring from. I'd stated I was in law enforcement." Spencer smiled at the looks of shock on their faces. Anders was close enough that she caught what he said. She glared.

"So Agent Hotchner, you came here to see him graduate again after he what, got a lark to try the Academy again?"

"I was passed on a few exceptions before so I wanted to see if I could do it again but better." Spencer smiled at Motley, and he felt Aaron's hand on his shoulder. Motley's eyes followed the hand, and when Spencer felt a finger work its way under his collar, Motley's eyes widened.

"Papa, Aunt JJ is waiting for us. She has the chicken that you really like cooked. Uncle Will was manning the grill when we left."

"I thought we were going out to eat?"

"Uncle Will got a new grill, and he wanted to try it out. It'll be fun. Henry and I can play all we want." Jack did look a little excited.

"So Agent Reid, where is your wife?" Anders asked as she stepped up to the group.

"I'm gay, Cadet Anders. I don't have a wife, and if you've learned nothing from the fact that I wear a collar, I have a Dom."

"Cadet Anders, I'd leave before you make another spectacle," Aaron said, his voice chilled the air around them, and Spencer felt himself calm down as he took a step back, closer to Aaron's personal space. Anders huffed but didn't leave. "Leave now I won't let the fact that you slept with seven other cadets and two instructors become public knowledge. Thankfully you had the passing grades in the classes and was only sleeping with him to hopefully get the posting that you want but you won't. You are going to be stuck in a low-end job until you either do something stupid, or you get your head out of your ass and realize that your looks don't mean that you get a better job than anyone else. You have a brain, Cadet Anders, I would use it."

Anders looked like she was going to cry, her lips wobbled, and her eyes became shiny, and she looked at Aaron.

"And if tears would have worked on me, my wife would have never had reason to leave me."

Anders turned and took off at a run away from them.

"Motley, how does barbeque chicken, southern sweet tea, I would assume bootlegger beans and enough food to kill yourself sound?" Spencer asked as the other cadets all started to find somewhere else to go.

"Spencer?"

"I want a duckling. I was told that I could have one. I want Motley. He's going to go into SWAT for a few years and help on cold cases for the BAU and a few consults here and there and then when I feel like he's ready, he's coming in the BAU and going to be my protege."

Motley looked at Spencer like he was insane.

"I think this is the point where you tell Reid that you love southern sweet tea and barbeque chicken," Aaron said in a stage whisper.

"I'm going to SWAT?"

"Yes. I fought for the right to tell you. Grayson Dotson is waiting for you when you get done eating with us. You said you had no family and you've supported me through all of this, even with how different I am. I like you, and I don't like a lot of people."

"You had Anders pegged from the first moment that she introduced herself."

"I've seen plenty of women like her. She'll burn out the first time that she comes on to someone and she gets turned in. Or I'll make sure that the video I captured of her and the ethics instructor going at it like rabbits in the classroom gets to someone who will do something about it."

"That might be best," Aaron said.

Spencer nodded and pulled his phone out. Aaron turned them, and they started to walk. Henry stayed in Spencer's arm with Jack tucked in at his other side.

"So what's your name?"

"Greg Motley."

"Uncle Greg. I like it." Jack slipped his hand into Motley's as they started to get into more capacity areas where it would be easy to lose him.

"Don't lose the BAU's Section Chief stepson," Motley whispered to himself.

"Actually, he's Aaron's biological son and my step son," Spencer said to him.

"Thanks, Reid. That's not helping."

"Don't worry, he won't run away. If you feel uncomfortable with him, I can give Henry to Aaron."

"I've never seen a kid get attached to someone so quick."

"You are a superhero," Jack called out. He grinned up at Motley.

"He calls his father and the team super heroes. The team is all his uncles and aunts. He's only actually interacted with agents that are on the team. And you are going to be in the BAU in a few years. If you keep up."

"So you are telling me that I have big shoes to fill?" Motley asked.

"Yes."

"Dad, can Papa drive?" Jack asked.

"Why?" Spencer and Aaron asked at the same time.

"I want to know if he learned the tactical driving like you this time."

Spencer couldn't keep the laughter hidden. He almost lost his hold on Henry and ended up wrapping both arms around the boy to stop it. Aaron was laughing but showing no sign except for the subtle shaking of his shoulders and the smile on his face. Motley didn't know whether to laugh or not. Henry was smiling just because the others were and Jack was looking lost.

"Honey, that's is not where your father learned how to drive like that. I solely blame Uncle Dave for that," Spencer said when he could breathe.

"Oh, so you can't drive like that?"

"Jack, no." Aaron sounded a little scared. Jack deflated.

"Of course I can, it just makes your father sick to his stomach for me to drive like that. So if you promise to buckle in real tight and do everything that I say, I'll drive."

"I promise."

"Welcome to the team, Motley," Aaron said as he looked a little green around the gills already. Spencer was looking forward to showing Jack his tactical driving.

# Mirror World

Aaron was keeping what was happening that night a secret and it was driving Spencer just a little crazy. He had been given the lace-up pants, and his black see through shirt. He used the black eyeshadow just on his lids along with mascara and eyeliner. Aaron had packed up a bag, which made Spencer even more curious. His two Doms were dressed impeccably in suits. But they were new. Fitted absolutely perfectly and were identical, just different colors. Aaron was in a heather gray, with a black button down that showed off his trim figure and a grey striped waistcoat, with a heather gray paisley tie. The cut was a lot closer than what Aaron normally got form his tailor.

Jackson was in a midnight black suit that matched the color of Aaron’s shirt. His button down was a dark gray, with a heather gray striped waistcoat and the same paisley tie. Spencer couldn’t help staring at them. He loved that they were all his and knew he was going to be the envy of wherever they went.

The jewelry Spencer was draped in was a black tungsten chain that had grey moonstones dripping off of it. The chain was long enough that it draped from his nipples, hooked to his belly ring, and clipped around the ends of his prince albert. The collar was a thick, wide black tungsten with moonstones hanging down and two thick rings, one at the top of the collar, one at the bottom. The earrings were large moonstone studs. Aaron and Jackson both had matching moonstone tie pins, and cufflinks. There was even two new leashes, these were thicker tungsten chains. The whole set Spencer knew cost a fortune.

Then the blindfold and cuffs. Spencer’s mind was racing as they sped along the streets of DC. He tried to map out in his head where they were going and when their driver stopped, Spencer knew it was the club, he just had no idea why he was blindfolded. When they got out, he knew they were headed towards the side door and not the front entrance like they usually went.

“Sir, Dominae, please…”

“All will be explained, Spencer. Be patient.” Spencer sighed and for the first time in a long time he was frustrated with his Doms. Finally, they stopped in a room. The blindfold was removed, the cufflinks unlinked from each other, but not removed.

“Remove your shirt and pants.” Aaron ordered, and Spencer quickly complied. Aaron ran a hand over the new, deliberate, scar on Spencer’s chest. It was put there by Jackson. A stylized triscale that had the Odal rune in it’s center. “Beautiful,” Aaron kissed along the pink scar, then a quick kiss to the rune. Spencer closed his eyes and let himself go, to be in that moment.

“Tonight we are giving you a gift. Something you’ve wanted for a long time, but I was unwilling to give you because I didn’t want to share you. The club is going to have a special exhibition.”

Spencer looked up at Aaron, his eyes wide and his breathing increased.

“You mean…” Spencer excitedly gestured between the three of them.

“Yes, Pet. You.”

“What, why? Why now?” Spencer looked between the two men and tried to control his breathing. He had wanted to be out there on a stage, exposed and Aaron had always denied him. His Dom’s possessiveness always came through.

“You earned it. You saved everyone, and for that you deserve a reward.”

“Do you want this, Petite?”

“Yes, please, yes.”

“Good, come on Pet, you’ll be beautiful.”

Walking out on the darkened stage, the three men had just enough light to see what they were doing, but behind a curtain so the audience couldn’t see. The people that were there were specially selected from the clubs roster. Only those that would appreciate the type of hard play that Aaron Hotchner was known for would be there. Dinner was elevated even above what the club normally served, a feast for the senses.

Aaron and Jackson worked in silence to attach Spencer’s arm to the chain that was hanging down. His arms were spread out to the sides and a chains that attached to his spread legs were also attached to his wrists. He stood perfectly still, spread out, open. The last thing was a multi-strap cock cage around him, and snapped between his balls, and around the base. The head of his cock was free as Aaron bent down and lathed at the head, playing with the Prince Albert moving the chain and making Spencer moan.

Aaron stood and leaned in to whisper something in Spencer’s ear.

“There is a very special guest that is in the booth at the edge of the stage. I’m sure you will be happy to see them there.”

The club manager came out on stage, the lights in the rest of the club dimmed so low that there was only a light glow from the candles on the tables.

“Good evening ladies and Gentlemen, Doms and Subs, Masters and Slaves. We have something extraordinarily special for you tonight. Three men in perfect harmony, one gives his submission completely to two who are known to you all.

“A one night only exhibition of the owners of this very club. Aaron, Jackson, and their sub Spencer. We request that you watch in absolute silence. You won’t regret it. And if a few of the Subs here tonight come without permission, Doms please be patient with them for many, after tonight, would want to feel the kiss on the whip in the hands of these very skilled men. Now, without further ceremony.” The man walked off the stage, three lights came on perfectly encasing each man on stage in their own lights. Spencer sucked in a breath as he looked down at Q sitting in James’ lap, his cock very much on display. Spencer closed his eyes to find his center, then he heard the rustle of his Doms removing their jackets, but that was all.

“Count for us, Pet. We will tell you when to stop.”

“Yes, Sir, yes Dominae.”

Aaron had a flogger in his hand, Jackson had a riding crop. After Spencer voiced his consent, Aaron struck first with the flogger, Spencer bowed his back, counted but didn’t move from his spot. Then the whoosh of the riding crop across his thighs. Aaron and Jackson circled him alternating between them and he counted. Each kiss and sting of the crop, each blow from the flogger made him sink deeper, letting his mind go. His eyes locked with Q’s as James slowly stroked his slave. Each number took him deeper, his cock filled and the thought he was going to burst had him groaning in both pleasure and pain.

“On the next hit from the crop, I want you to come, Pet.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Aaron swung and a hit his chest that was already striped with welts. Spencer cried out, but stayed perfectly still. Then the crop and his body shook with the force of the dry orgasm. His eyes were half lidded, but he could take more.

“Drink,” Aaron commanded when a straw was put to his mouth. Spencer took a few sips of water as he was being wiped down by Jackson. He wasn’t sure what was next, and when he looked at Aaron he looked as impeccable as when they first started. Spencer heard the twin sounds of canes and knew what was next.

“Count to twenty. And at fifteen, I want you to come.”

“Yes, Dominae.”

“So good for us, Petite Chou.”

“Thank you, Dominae.” Spencer looked at Jackson, and he too looked as perfect as when they walked in.

“Ready, Pet?”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer sucked in a breath, then the first hard blow from the can struck him. He counted, and heard the collective gasp. Aaron and Jackson again worked in perfect synch with each other, Spencer knew they had already mapped out their strikes, they were too precise, Spencer was shaking by the time they got to ten. He felt the small cuts that had opened up all over him, blood was trickling and Spencer felt like he was flying. When he cried out the number fifteen his gaze was completely locked on Q, who Spencer could tell was on edge. His body shook through another dry orgasm, then the last five strikes had him crying out. Heavy breathing could be heard from all around, and it was heady for Spencer. He, with his two men were doing that, making people aroused and he loved it.

More water, Aaron was checking his eyes, while Jackson was checking his pulse.

“Can you take more, Pet?” Aaron whispered in his ear.

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer was confident and trusting enough in Aaron and Jackson that they wouldn’t let him go too far down. He was teetering on the edge of subspace as it was and any number of things could push him over the edge.

“Whip, my love?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Jackson had a short whip in his hand and Aaron had the long double tailed split whip. Spencer was flying even before his body was kissed by the sharp ends of either instrument.

“Ten, then you come.”

“Yes, Dominae.”

The audience was breathless, enraptured as they watched.

Again, the two men circled Spencer slowly and alternated the blows to his body. He was on fire and screamed out as the double tail cut into him. He kept his eyes on Q, though he was losing focus with each new blow.

At ten, he came once more, then slumped down into his chains. Precome was dripping off his cock, leaving a pool of it on the floor. His head was lifted and he was given water and an ibuprofen, which signaled to him that they were nearing the end.

Jackson dropped to his knees and undid the chains at his ankles, while Aaron took off the ones on his wrists. Aaron was there to catch him, to hold him close to Aaron’s body, but Jackson stayed on his knees. The cock cage was removed and as soon as it was his cock filled so much that it was painful. Then Jackson, still fully clothed and on his knees wrapped his mouth around the cock.

Spencer knew he wasn’t going to last as he was being held up by Aaron. The chain that was connected to his nipples was pulled and Spencer felt it all the way to his cock. He shook with the spike in pleasure. Then the chain was being unclipped from the ends of the Prince Albert, which let Jackson play with it with his tongue. Spencer was on edge, and it was the first time in a very long time that he was close to coming without permission.

“That’s it, my Pet. So good for us, aren’t you.”

“Fuck, yes, Sir.”

Jackson was working his cock and Spencer knew he wasn’t going to last much longer. Thankfully the Dom stood after pulling off his cock, then Aaron’s hand was there, stroking Spencer hard and fast.

“Come, and let go all the way, Pet.”

Spencer cried out as he released, spilling onto the floor his body shook with the force of his orgasm and the headiness of being on display. He looked again at Q, who he could see had found his own release. Watching the slave as Spencer had been on display like he was had only added to the whole evening.

Jackson and Aaron held him up as they crossed the stage together, and as they took the steps down, there was light applause. When they got to a room, Spencer was laid out on the bed. Aaron took charge and stripped, then picked Spencer up and laid him down in the tub that had been waiting for them. Soothing warmth along with the oils that Aaron usually used to ease the muscles, and help with the small cuts all over his body.

“You were beautiful out there, Pet. So perfect for us. Did you enjoy that?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Do you want fucked here in this room, or when we get back to the house?”

“At the house, in our bed.”

“Then we will go once the bath is done.”

Two hours later, chained to the bed and completely fucked out, Spencer fell asleep knowing there was more planned for him for the next day. He just wasn’t sure what. With his Doms they could be fairly unpredictable. But, he knew whatever it was, he was going to enjoy it thoroughly.

* * *

The restaurant that Spencer had been taken to was one of the most exclusive in DC. Aaron had been wanting to try it for a long time and finally they had their chance. Spencer was being taken out for his latest achievement, another Doctorate, thanks in part to the other Spencer. He knew it would have been a few more months before he could have worked on the dissertation, but having the other Spencer do most of the research, as well as begin the thesis, Spencer was way ahead and was able to finish much faster than previously anticipated.

The food was amazing, the wine even better and Spencer felt pampered. When their dessert came, Spencer hummed at the flavors of coffee, chocolate, and hazelnut in the meringue that makes up the layers of the ‘cake’, with a soft flavored whip cream had Spencer humming his pleasure. The exquisite espresso with hazelnut liqueur and thick foam on top just added to the decadence.

“Happy, my Pet?” Aaron asked as he leaned over and kissed Spencer.

“Hmm, very. This was exceptional.”

“And I bet you liked the dessert the best,” Jackson teased making Spencer blush just a bit because he wasn’t wrong.

“It was all delicious. Thank you.”

“No need to thank us, Pet. You earned it. Now, if you are done, this night is not yet done.” Aaron signed the payment slip leaving a generous tip. Their waiter had been perfect the whole night. Spencer always appreciated good service and the young man had gone above and beyond for them. As they left, both Aaron and Jackson laid their hands in the middle of Spencer’s back. He loved the feeling and knew that he always would.

They got back to the house and instead of going to the playroom, Aaron pulled Spencer into the bedroom, Jackson trailed behind. As soon as the door closed, Aaron pulled Spencer into a kiss. Jackson started to strip Spencer, Aaron never letting his mouth leave Spencer’s. When Jackson undid the trousers and pushed them down off Spencer, his hand slid back around and played with Spencer’s quickly hardening cock. Spencer moaned and thrust his hips just a little as Jackson played. Lips at his neck had Spencer’s eyes rolling in the back of his head.

“Tonight, I want something different.” Aaron pulled back and kept a hand on the back of Spencer’s neck, keeping him grounded as Jackson walked around to Aaron and started to undo his dress pants. He moaned as a hand brushed his cock, then moved up to start to unbutton Aaron’s dress shirt.

“Sir?” Spencer felt a little confused, but watching Jackson strip Aaron made him hard, and aching.

“I want you to fuck me, Spencer. I want to feel you inside me. I want to know what you feel like with this,” Aaron played with the Prince Albert making Spencer inhale sharply, “Inside me, fucking me while Jackson watches us.”

“God, Sir, please…” Spencer was already anticipating. It was rare that Aaron bottomed for Spencer, he usually only did for Jackson.

“Lift your arms, Love,” Jackson tugged on the shirt to pull it off, then Aaron crawled up on the bed on his hands and knees, ass in the air. Spencer swallowed hard as he noticed the plug Aaron had been wearing it all night. He watched his Dom submit to him and it was always heady for Spencer when Aaron wanted to fucked by him.

“Why don’t I help you get started,” Jackson smirked as he dropped to his knees and took Spencer’s cock in his mouth. Spencer shuddered, then a condom was slipped onto his cock. “Just a precaution.” Spencer knew the concerns over possible tearing and he never wanted to hurt Aaron that way. Lube was pressed into this hand, then Jackson moved away, stripping as he went. Spencer watched as he settled into a chair that had been moved to the side of the bed, in perfect view.

Spencer poured some of the lube into his hand and slicked the condom just a little. He crawled up behind Aaron, and using his still slick fingers pushed one inside and was rewarded with a very filthy moan. The plug had loosened Aaron, but Spencer wanted to play just a little. He crooked his finger just so and brushed up against Aaron’s prostate.

“Are you ready, Aaron?” Spencer was just as worked up as Aaron, he almost couldn’t wait to be inside.

“Yes. Please, Pet,” Aaron begged, and it made Spencer close his eyes and take a deep breath. Pulling his fingers free, he was handed a slightly damp towel to wipe his fingers on by Jackson. Then, guiding his cock, he lined himself up with Aaron’s hole, and pushed in, slowly at first.

“Fuck, that feels good,” Aaron had grabbed a pillow and stuffed it under his head and let himself sink down onto the bed. “Don’t hold back, Pet. Fuck me, and cum whenever you want to.”

Spencer moaned as he wrapped his hands around Aaron’s waist, then pushed in all the way. He had to take a deep breath to stop himself from cumming too soon. He was already on edge, but he was able to hold it back. He wanted to make this last. He started with a slow steady pace, pulling little moans of pleasure from Aaron. He dared to look over to Jackson who was naked, legs spread wide as he teased his cock.

“Harder, Pet.” Aaron demanded, then Spencer was pumping in and out, hard and fast enough to make the bed shift just a little. He heard Jackson trying to get himself off and Spencer felt himself closer and closer to his release.

“So good, you have no idea, Pet. That feels so good.”

“Sir,” Spencer groaned as he fucked harder and deeper. Spencer heard more than saw Jackson moving, then hands were on his ass spreading him wide. He shuddered as he felt a tongue swipe at his hole. He wasn’t even sure how Jackson was keeping up with Spencer, but he didn’t care as he dropped forward, pushing Aaron’s legs almost to his chest. A cock was pushing inside him and Spencer almost lost it right then, but Jackson got into the rhythm.

“Fuck that’s hot,” Aaron moaned as he watched the two men he loved moving above him. The extra weight had Spencer pressed against Aaron, and after a couple more thrusts he was cumming, painting his stomach and chest with his release.

“Come on, Petite, come for me, let me hear you,” Jackson said in Spencer’s ear.

Not being able to hold back anymore Spencer screamed out as he released in the condom. Jackson pushed Spencer all the way down, then pounded inside him hard and fast till he grunted out his release.

The three men, panting, had fallen together on the bed. Finding his balance, Jackson stumbled into the bathroom and came back out with washcloths to clean everyone up. He and Aaron sandwiched Spencer in-between them, the three traded kisses as they continued touching each other. It wasn’t long till they were falling asleep and Spencer sighed in contentment. He would always wonder how he got so damn lucky.

* * *

“Here.” JJ handed Spencer an envelope with a smile on her face.

“What’s this?”

“Just open it, okay?”

It was after dinner and everyone had been in the house for once, even Tony had come. The man had thawed quite a bit towards him, but Tony and Aaron still were circling each other. Spencer knew it was because Tony knew something strange had gone on and neither of them were telling him. It was a moot point now anyway, the device was destroyed, and Spencer had locked away the research done by Charlie and the other Spencer. He didn’t know why he kept it, the information was dangerous, but maybe that was why he had kept it. Spencer just chuckled and smiled at JJ as he opened up the card.

“A party?”

“Yes, and I expect you, Aaron and Jackson to be there, in your tux’s and being on your best behavior. Please, Spence? This is really important to me.”

Spencer smiled softly and pulled JJ into his arms. He already had an idea of what was going on. A new ring was on her finger, but he wasn’t going to spoil her surprise by telling her what he suspected.

“Of course we’ll come. I’ll get Riley from the office to watch the kids. I assume it’s adults only?”

“Yes. Hey maybe Tony can leave Ben with her. Aria, Ben and Jack get along really well.”

“That’s a good idea, Spence. I’ll talk to Tony about it.”

“Do you need any help with anything?”

“No, we have it all under control. Just bring yourself.” JJ tipped on on her toes and kissed Spencer’s cheek. She smiled as she bounced away to go find the others in the house.

Spencer was happy for her. After all she had gone through he wasn’t sure if she would ever find happiness again. Walking into the bedroom he pulled out clothes for the day. There was a lot to be done at the office. A new case had come up, and they were scrambling a little to play catch-up. Their client had fired the previous lawyer and wanted a new one. The man had money and prestige. But, as Spencer went over all of the files, the evidence that was collected, and all of the statements, he knew the man was innocent of the crime he was being accused of. Murdering his ex-wife, her new husband, and their children. Some of the evidence was damning, but it was all too convenient.

“Ready, Pet?”

“Yes, Sir. I’ve been thinking about this case and something doesn’t sit right with me. It’s all too convenient if you ask me.”

“And that’s why we are talking to him today. I want to understand what happened from his side before we officially take him on. Come on, we have some work to do.”

Spencer finished getting dressed, grabbed his things and followed Aaron out to the car. They talked about JJ’s party and what they suspected and both men agreed to not let on that they knew.

When they got to the office they went over the case again in detail, Aaron making notes and Spencer giving his opinion. There was something that was bugging him and he wasn’t sure what it was. He would let it stew in his mind till after they met with the client, then he would try and talk it out with Aaron.

As they finished their notes, a knock on the door signalled that the client had arrived.

“Mr. Caffrey, thank you for coming in. Please have a seat.”

Spencer couldn’t help appreciating the good looks, and even better suit. Even the hat that Caffrey was wearing suited him. Though he took it off in respect and sat down.

“I’ve been reading over everything in the file and I have some questions.”

“And I’ll answer any questions you do have.”

“First tell me about your relationship with your ex-wife.”

Caffrey crossed his legs and took a deep breath. Spencer was watching the man for micro-expressions.

“We had a very good relationship, to be honest. We just had different philosophies. I will be very frank here, Mr. Hotchner. I am a thief. I’m a very good thief that has made a very good living. But I understand there are people, like yourselves, that are untouchable. Sara and I had a good thing for a long time, but she thought I’d change, and when I didn’t, she wanted a divorce. I didn’t want to see her hurt anymore so I agreed. But, we stayed very good friends.

“Her kids even called me Uncle. Her husband and I got along well. I didn’t begrudge her a new life at all, Mr. Hotchner. I have absolutely no motivation to harm her or her children. But, Alan Woodford has a reason.”

“And what would that reason be, Mr. Caffrey?”

“I quit the Pink Panthers.”

Spencer shoved out of his chair and glared at the man.

“You what?” Spencer yelled and balled his fists at his sides.

“When they talked about going after you, Mr. Hotchner, I was done. That was a suicide mission. Even I’m not that stupid. I may have done some questionable things, but like I said you are one of the untouchables. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you when we talked on the phone, but I need all the help I can get and you are the best.”

Aaron didn’t register that Spencer had shot forward until he had Caffrey by the neck and was hauling him out of the chair and slammed him down in the desk.

“You didn’t think to fucking warn us? We have _children_ for fucks sake. A baby. You just quit and decided to keep this to yourself?”

“Hey, I had no way to get to you in time. I’m sorry. I truly am and if I knew how to contact you, I would have. But, you people are hard to find other than this law office, and even at that you have so many people to get through.”

“Spencer!” Aaron commanded with just one word. Spencer growled and shoved off of Neal. He was so close to doing something really stupid. “ _Go walk it off!_ ”

“Sir?!” Spencer glared at Aaron, he didn’t want to be excluded, but he was angry. Beyond angry.

“Don’t question me, _Pet!_ Now, Go. Walk. It. Off. Then come back when you have your head on straight.”

“Yes. Sir.” Spencer growled through clenched teeth. He grabbed his messenger bag and stomped out of the office, angrier than he had been in a very long time.

“I’m sorry about that. I had been away on business when the break-in happened and Spencer and our third, Jackson were home with the children. I have to agree with his sentiment, though. Why didn’t you contact us?”

“Because I was trying to protect my own husband. If anything happened to Peter…” Neal took a breath and played with the hat in his hands. “Woodford might go after him and I can’t let that happen. I have evidence, here, it’s a conversation we had about the break-in and the security guard who sold you out.”

“Did you give this to the police?”

“Yes, Sir I did. But the police and FBI are too caught-up in the fact that they ‘caught’ me that they don’t see I’m innocent of Sara’s murder. I don’t like violence, Mr. Hotchner and I will confess to you every single crime I have committed, but I want a deal.”

Aaron sat back and steepled his fingers and took a few moments to study Mr. Caffrey. He wondered at the man who had made his 2.5 million dollar bail. Aaron had dug into Caffrey before this meeting and knew the man had money, as did his husband who was a brilliant accountant. He knew they were well off, but Aaron wondered what they had to do to get that much money that quickly.

“And what deal is it you are proposing?”

“Confessing to the crimes I have committed and getting immunity for those crimes then telling you and the DA’s office everything I know about the Pink Panthers.”

“Mr. Caffrey, I don’t know if I can get that kind of deal for you.”

“Look, I may be a thief, and very good one, by the way. But, I am not nor have I ever been a killer. I hate guns. I’ve never hurt another human being physically. And, I want to know exactly everything that the DA and the police are supposed to have on me.”

“All right. I’ll set-up a meeting, have some papers drawn just in case. I take it you have a tracking anklet as part of your bail?”

“Yes. There was another reason I quit the Pink Panthers, Mr. Hotchner. I wanted out. I was done with the life. Peter and I talked about adopting kids, but I don’t want to bring children into the life that I was leading. Peter knows who I am, and he loves me anyway, there isn’t anything I won’t do for him. Please, Mr. Hotchner, help me.”

Aaron knew he was going to take the case. It was one of those ones that was going to prove to be very, very interesting.

“Why don’t you go home, Mr. Caffrey and I’ll get the ball rolling here. I’ll contact the DA and set-up a meeting. They are supposed to provide me with all evidence they supposedly have against you. We’ll go from there and get a trial date set-up.” Aaron stood signaling the end of the meeting. Caffrey stood with him and shook his hand.

“Thank you, Mr. Hotchner. I think it might be best to meet at my house from now on. It will just be easier. You can meet Peter and speak with him as well.”

“That’s a good idea. I’ll be in touch.”

Caffrey left the office and a few minutes later Spencer came back in and closed and locked the door behind him. He walked towards Aaron and dropped to his knees with his hands behind his back.

“Sir, I’m sorry that I let my temper get the better of me.” Spencer kept his eyes on the floor. He heard Aaron stand, then the slide of a belt. Spencer wondered if he was going to be punished for his actions. It rarely ever happened, but this case was just so very personal.

“I know you are, Pet. And I understand what you went through during the break-in and I’m sorry I wasn’t there. But, Caffrey is our client and you cannot treat our clients that way.”

Spencer nodded knowing he had messed up.

Aaron walked around Spencer and using the hobble belt he secured Spencer’s hands behind his back.

“Stand-up.” Aaron commanded, which Spencer did. Aaron then pulled Spencer’s trousers off him after getting them undone. Aaron pulled out a hidden drawer then grabbed something he had only used on Spencer once. The stainless steel discipline cage was wrapped around his cock and the tiny screws were tightened enough all around to make it uncomfortable. But Spencer knew that it was just going to get worse as the day went on.

“You know how I hate doing this, but you let your temper rule you today. I will not have you acting like that towards a client, no matter who they are.” Aaron was calm and controlled as he adjusted the punishment cage. He then pulled Spencer’s trousers back up and had him kneeling once again. “You’ll wear that till I take it off of you. Now you are going to stay right there for 1 hour. If you’re good for me, then I’ll let you suck my cock.”

Spencer knew the next hour was going to be torture.

Getting home that night, Spencer still had the cage on and it was more than uncomfortable. After dinner, Aaron had even fucked him with it still on. Jackson stayed out of it, this was one area where he wasn’t going to get between Spencer and Aaron. When he got hard Spencer was on the verge of tears. After Aaron was done, the cage finally came off and Aaron was lifting him off the bed and into a hot bath.

“I’m sorry, Sir.” Spencer stayed wrapped around Aaron not wanting to let him go.

“I know you are, and you know I love you. I need to know that you can control yourself around Caffrey, Spencer. He’s our client now. If you can’t deal with it I’ll need to get Justin to help with the case.”

Spencer shook his head and held onto Aaron.

“I’ll be good, Sir. I promise.”

“I’m going to hold you to that, Pet. No more outbursts like that, especially with a client.”

Spencer agreed as Aaron gently washed his abused cock. He knew he wasn’t going to do anything to warrant that kind of punishment again. A little later when he was in bed, cuffed with Aaron around him, Spencer felt right for the first time since the break-in. He had been off kilter trying to shake the emotions of the last couple of weeks, but they just wouldn’t leave him. He thought to himself as he fell asleep that maybe today was what he had needed to get past it all. Didn’t mean that he liked it, he hated when Aaron disciplined him, but it was never out of malice and that was why Spencer endured.

* * *

The restaurant that Tony and JJ had picked was gorgeous. Everyone was there, plus some people that both Tony and JJ knew from other parts of their lives. Aaron looked around a moment cataloging the new faces and filing them away. Then when he looked at JJ and he saw how happy she looked, Aaron felt happy for her.

Tony and JJ stood, then Tony tapped his wine glass to get everyone’s attention.

“I’m glad everyone could make it tonight. It means a lot that you are all here to help us celebrate. We have been keeping something from everyone, and we wanted to tell you all at the same time. I, Tony Dimitri DiNozzo have asked the beautiful and wonderful Jennifer Jareau to be my wife, and lucky for me she said yes.” Tony had the biggest smile on his face as he held up his glass, which everyone toasted.

“I was surprised when Tony asked me, but he’s everything I’ve ever wanted and the best man that has ever come into my life. There was no question that I would say yes if he ever asked me. So, everyone please eat up, have fun and thank you all for being here.” JJ turned and pulled Tony to her and kissed him. Cheers from all around went up making the couple laugh.

Spencer watched and felt happy for JJ. He knew she deserved all the happiness she could get.

The meal was simple and delicious, then the music started. People took to the small dance floor, more wine was poured, groups formed, others introduced themselves around to those they didn’t know and the air of celebration was all around.

Jackson took Spencer’s hand and coaxed him out on the floor and Aaron watched with a soft smile on his face. A few moments later he had a lap full of slightly tipsy JJ.

“You look happy.” JJ exclaimed as he placed a kiss on his cheek.

“I am happy for you Jayje. As much as Tony and I have a difference of opinion on most things there is one thing we can agree on, is that we both love you.”

“Aww, you’re just saying that to make me happy.” JJ chuckled when Aaron just lifted one brow as he held her around the waist.

“No, I do mean it, JJ. And, I would like to throw you the best wedding you’ve ever had. It’s my gift to you. Of course I know you need to talk to Tony about it, but I want to do this for you.”

“Aaron,” JJ looked a little overwhelmed as her cheeks turned red. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You deserve to have the wedding of your dreams. I want to give you that.”

“I love you, and I know you don’t have many in your life that tell you that. You’ve done so much for me, especially after I lost the baby and Will left me to grieve on my own. You let me stay when you didn’t have to.”

Aaron brushed a strand of hair off of JJ’s face then placed a kiss on her forehead. He really had come to care for her like a little sister of sorts. It had hurt him when she had lost the baby and been abandoned by the man that was supposed to have loved her.

“Oh, I very much did. Spencer would probably have killed me if I hadn’t.” Aaron half teased, but JJ knew there was some truth in those words. Aaron knew that JJ would probably never fully understand his and Spencer’s relationship, but she accepted it and that was all that mattered.

“Would you dance with me, Miss Jareau?”

JJ giggled at the smile on Aaron’s face as she slipped off his lap, then pulled him onto the dance floor. Eventually the couples changed and Aaron had an armful of Spencer. They swayed to the music and Aaron kissed him softly.

“Do you ever think about it, Aaron?”

“Getting married?”

“Yes,” Spencer said a little hesitantly.

“Maybe I have. But I’d hate to leave Jackson out. We’ve become a unit, Spencer. How do I marry one of you and leave the other as the man out. I can’t do that.”

“Maybe I won’t feel left out, Aaron,” Jackson whispered in Aaron’s ear. “You know that I never want marriage. I like what we have now. If you and Spence want to tie the knot, I am secure enough in our relationship that I know you won’t leave me. Its just names on a paper.” Jackson pressed against Aaron as they danced together with Spencer in front.

“We’ll see. Maybe one day.” Aaron looked around and saw the happy couple dancing close together and wondered. Maybe someday he thought to himself as he wrapped his arms around Spencer and just enjoyed the evening at hand.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Criminal Minds Bang sign-ups have gone live! Check it out [HERE](https://criminalmindsbangblog.wordpress.com/)!

# Mirror World

“Mr. Caffrey, you have been very transparent so far about the deal you made with the DA’s office about your past, shall we say, indiscretions?”

“Yes. What’s your point Counsellor?” Neal glared at the prosecutor as he paced in front of the jury box.

“You confessed to a number of crimes yet maintain your innocence in the annihilation of your ex-wife and her family.”

“That’s because I am. Sara is...was a wonderful woman, mother, and wife. She loved her husband and children very much. My husband and I were frequently at her house, dinner, parties, just getting together. I was those kids Godfather. Why the hell would I hurt her?”

“She knew about your participation in the Pink Panthers, and perhaps she was going to tell the police.”

Neal laughed bitterly and shook his head.

“Sara knew who and what I was from the day we met. If she were going to turn me in at any time, it would have been during our marriage. She suspected, and I was always honest with her. Besides, I hate guns. I don’t own a gun, and the thorough search of my house didn’t turn up one single gun. All you have is speculation.”

Aaron watched as the prosecutor grilled Neal on the stand. He objected to a couple of questions, let others pass. He appreciated the way Neal handled himself and getting the deal with the DA had been a good idea. The prosecutor rested, and it was Aaron’s turn.

“Mr. Caffrey, we all have heard that you had been part of the Pink Panthers, what made you leave one of the most elusive groups of thieves the world has ever known?”

Neal took a breath and looked over at his husband who just smiled and nodded.

“They started to get really dangerous. Guns were brought into the group, and they had plans of going after very high-profile, nigh untouchable targets. That wasn’t me, so I told them I was done. Plus, my husband asked me to leave. He saw it getting more dangerous as well, and he worried about me.”

Aaron slid his hands into the pocket of his Berlanti Suit. One of the most exclusive on Savile Row. He knew what he looked like, and when he quickly flashed his smile towards the Jury, more than one woman squirmed in her seat, as well as one or two men. It was one tactic he employed only rarely. Usually, he had evidence and confessions on his side. In this case, there was no evidence and just a detective’s word against Neals. It also didn’t hurt that his client was gorgeous, well spoken and well dressed.

“So, you wanted to protect yourself and your husband.”

“Yes, Sir. I knew they were playing with something that was going to get them killed. I wanted no part of that.”

“And you believe that the death of your ex-wife and her family is a direct result of your leaving the group?”

“I think it’s one aspect. The other is the leader blames me for the deaths of those men that tried to rob you, Mr. Hotchner.”

“Yes, well I do appreciate that you weren’t involved.” Aaron smiled his charming smile, and the jury chuckled under their breath.

“Other than your prior involvement with the Panthers, is there any reason for someone to go after your family?”

“Sara was an art recovery expert. She was truly one of a kind and did exceptionally well for the insurance company she was working for. It’s possible she made an enemy because of that, but I can’t say for sure.”

“Thank you, Mr. Caffrey.” Aaron smiled at him then turned to the Judge. “I have no more questions for this witness your honor.”

“Mr. Whitcomb, do you have anything more for this witness?”

“No, your Honor.”

“Mr. Caffrey, you’re dismissed.”

Neal left the witness box and settled at the defense table.

“Mr. Whitcomb, your next witness.”

“I have no more witnesses, your Honor. The prosecution rests.”

“Mr. Hotchner?”

“Yes, your Honor, I’d like to call Detective Smiths to the stand.”

The doors opened after a moment, and a man in his mid-forties, well dressed and unassuming walked in and settled in the witness box. He was sworn in, and the Judge settled everyone down.

“Detective Smiths, I’d like to know on what grounds you originally arrested my client.”

“He was a suspect in the murders of Miss Sara Ellis, her husband Sean Lockard and their two children.”

“Based on what evidence, Detective?”

“His fingerprints as well as his husbands, Peter Burke, were all over the house.”

“And yet, in the interrogation and here on the stand, Mr. Caffrey has stated that he was close with the family and even the children’s Godfather. So, one would assume that his and Burke’s fingerprints would be in the house.”

The Detective worked his jaw from side to side.

“Under normal circumstances, yes that would be a safe assumption.”

“Safe assumption. Hmm..let’s leave that for a moment. Do you have any other evidence linking Mr. Caffrey to this most heinous crime?”

“He is an admitted member of the Pink Panthers, and we all know just how dangerous they are.”

“Yet, Mr. Caffrey has testified that he left the Pink Panthers several months prior to the crime. The DA also has a signed confession of all of the crimes he committed while with the Panthers. None of the heists he was in were violent.”

“How do we know that there aren’t more crimes he isn’t confessing to? You can’t take his word…”

“Oh, yes I can, Detective. So, you have absolutely no physical evidence whatsoever, other than fingerprints left at the victim's house where fingerprints would be normal considering the close relationship between the victim and the defendant.”

“No.” The Detective was glaring at Aaron, but he knew that unless the prosecution planted evidence somewhere, he would get Neal out of this.

“And did you at all investigate Alan Woodford? The alleged head of the Pink Panthers?”

“We had no reason to.”

“Detective, in the interrogation, which this court watched the tapes of, Mr. Caffrey mentioned several times that Woodford was becoming a dangerous, violent man. Yet, your sole focus of your investigation was Mr. Caffrey. I might think that you had a personal grudge against my client, Detective.”

“Objection, Mr. Hotchner is stating an opinion and not asking a question, your Honor.”

Aaron softly laughed as he looked at the jury, then at the Prosecutor.

“I’m sorry. I apologize for that.”

“Sustained. I caution you, Mr. Hotchner.”

“Yes, thank you. I will be careful. So, Detective Smiths, you have absolutely no physical evidence linking my client to the crime, yet you arrested him and pushed the DA for a trial. What is your reasoning for that, Detective?”

Detective Smiths was fuming, his face turned red, and he pounded the podium.

“That man hurts people. He may not kill them, oh he doesn’t do the goddamn dirty work, but he hurts people. My wife was fired from her job because of him, and her reputation was RUINED!”

The courtroom got silent as the Detective stood in the witness box, hands balled into fists. It took him a few moments to realize what he had said. His eyes got comically wide as he lowered himself into the chair and took a few deep breaths.

Aaron himself was slowly walking back and forth in front of the witness box, hands in his pockets, he dramatically, sighed.

“Your Honor, I move for a dismissal. Neal Caffrey never should have been put on trial for these crimes in the first place. He has been nothing but cooperative and honest about his past. There is no evidence physical or otherwise that this man murdered his ex-wife, her husband, and their children. This whole thing is one Detectives vendetta against my client for an Insurance scam from ten years ago. Nothing more.”

The Judge fell back in his seat and glared at the Prosecution, then the Detective.

“I have no words for either of you. I can’t tell you what I think of both of your disregards for this court and these court proceedings. Mr. Hotchner, with what has come to light I agree with you. In light of no physical evidence, no confession and only one Detective's issues with your client, I approve of your request for a dismissal. Mr. Caffrey, all charges will be dropped, the anklet removed and you are free to go.” The Judge pounded the gavel once, very loud. Aaron knew he was angry and both Detective Smiths and the Prosecuting Attorney were going to get a lecture from the Judge. He was thrilled he was not going to be included in that particular meeting.

“Thank you, Mr. Hotchner. I can’t tell you what this means to me.”

“Just, stay out of trouble, Mr. Caffrey. Go home to your husband no need to thank me.”

Aaron watched as Caffrey was embraced by his husband, then the two walked out of the court. He had a feeling this wasn’t going to be the last time he was to see Neal Caffrey and Peter Burke. He liked both men and had some ideas on how they could be of use to him and some of his side projects. Aaron kept their information close for use at a later date.

“That was brilliant Aaron. Getting the Detective riled up enough that he would spill the truth on why this whole thing got this far.”

Aaron smiled and pulled Spencer to him after they packed up the files and started out of the courtroom.

“Thank you, Pet. You ready for what’s waiting outside?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good. Then after?”

“I think I’ll give Woodford a visit.” The gleam in Spencer’s eyes and the venom in his voice told Aaron that his lover had not let what happened regarding the break-in go. It would be a long time for Spencer to let it go, and if going after Woodford would help, Aaron wasn’t going to stop him.

“Just be careful, Pet. This man is far more dangerous than your usual prey.”

Spencer smiled cruelly as he tucked into Aaron’s side.

“I will enjoy the challenge.”

Aaron laughed as he kissed Spencer’s forehead.

“Ah, my Pet. Just make sure your hobby doesn’t get you killed. I won’t handle it well.” Aaron’s stomach flipped at the thought of losing Spencer. He was going to say more, but they had hit the outer doors and were on the courthouse steps with the media surrounding them. Aaron smiled and knew it was time to put on the show.

* * *

“Aaron, this is all too much.” JJ looked out over the grounds that had transformed beautifully over the course of the last couple of weeks. Large tents had gone up, with lighting strung all around and on the inside. The gazebo had been decorated extravagantly with fairy lights, hydrangeas of blue, white and light pink. More flowers waited in the large cooler inside the atrium, which was also transformed into the perfect venue for a pre-wedding party. It would be opened up for people to walk through, have hors d'oeuvers, drinks and an area to mingle.

White chairs were set up with covers of pale pink and blue. Flowers would be set on the ends of the rows of the seating.

In the main tents, tables were all set, in a darker blue with pink and white accents all around. JJ had opted for a buffet, which would consist of gulf shrimp cooked and chilled, prime rib, crab, stuffed mushrooms, a caviar station, oysters on a half-shell, and other delicacies. As well as exotic fruits, various organic, high-end vegetables and salads.

“No, it isn’t Jayje. I want to do this for you, I’m happy to do this for you. You deserve a fairytale wedding because you deserve to be happy.”

JJ blushed as she leaned against Aaron. He had also somehow talked JJ’s Mom into coming, which JJ couldn’t thank him enough for. Aaron really did want to do this for JJ, he enjoyed giving her everything she desired. She was like the sister he never had, and he wanted the best for her.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Aaron.”

“You can thank me by being happy. I don’t think I’ve seen you this happy since before Will. This second chance has been a long time coming. Now, tomorrow is a big day for you, go get some rest and don’t worry about anything.”

JJ started to walk towards the main house when she turned and came back to Aaron.

“There is something I should have asked you weeks ago, but with everything that happened, then the trial, I haven’t had the chance.” JJ looked at Aaron and smiled shyly, “Aaron, will you give me away?”

Aaron pulled her into his arms and held her for a moment.

“Of course, JJ. I would be honored.”

JJ moved away and thanked Aaron, then resumed her walk back to the house. Aaron stood there and looked around at the beautiful setting and wondered. He looked at his hands and tried to imagine a ring on his finger, putting one on Spencer’s. Then Aaron thought about Jackson and wondered how the man would feel if Aaron asked Spencer when Jackson had been his first love. He pondered on the puzzle for a few moments and decided that after the wedding he would take Jackson for a weekend, just the two of them and ask him how he would feel if Aaron proposed to Spencer.

Aaron walked towards the area that was set-up for the press. JJ was the one that brought it up, how the fact that she was in the pages almost as much as Aaron, being his and Spencer’s assistant and house manager. They both felt it prudent to ask members of the press to be there, but they would be wrangled to a specific area. Aaron had hired extra security that would watch over the media and keep them at a respectful distance.

Walking back to the house, Aaron made a few decisions. Ones he had been mulling over for a while now. When he arrived and saw Aria standing in the main room in the dress, she would be wearing as the flower girl, her hair up in curls, and the seamstress that had been hired specifically for the children’s clothes, he couldn’t believe how much she had come to mean to him.

Even little Ben was there getting a final fitting for the suit he would be wearing. Jack had his suit already for special occasions he attended for school. Hayden had an outfit tailored just for him. Aaron leaned into the doorway and just watched, especially Spencer fussing and making sure things were looking perfect.

“I shouldn’t be in awe of how you put all of this together, but I am, and I’m impressed. You really do care about JJ. I truly didn’t think psychopaths cared about anyone at all.” Tony stood next to Aaron looking in the room as well.

“I have certain people that prove their loyalty to me. I do care and even love. JJ is very special to me, Tony. I want her to have the perfect day. I also didn’t want you and her to have to worry about all of this. You should just concentrate on the two of you. She’s happy with you, and that makes me happy.”

Tony turned and looked Aaron in the eye.

“I know why you are really doing this. Get your name in the paper, showing off by giving JJ her fairytale wedding. This is all just free publicity for you. To make yourself look good to the public.”

Aaron narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“That may be a small part of it. But, it’s not the whole story. JJ has had a hard time of it when it comes to relationships. She was deeply hurt when Will abandoned her after she lost her baby. I want to see her happy.”

Tony inched his brows up till they were deeply furrowed. Aaron felt like the man was assessing him, trying to find the lie.

“I know I shouldn’t believe you, but somehow I do.” Tony sighed, and Aaron knew the man had resigned himself to the fact that Aaron was an important part of JJ’s life and always would be. He knew he had won this round in their little battle, Aaron just hoped Tony didn’t take things too far. He would hate to see JJ hurt in any way. And Aaron wasn’t above getting rid of the problem if it went too far. He knew it would devastate JJ, but Aaron could admit he could hurt her to protect himself and Spencer. He would hate it, but he could do it.

“Just don’t do anything to hurt her.” Aaron let the not so veiled threat stand as he walked into the room and got down on his knees in front of Aria and smiled, telling her how pretty she looked in her dress. He ignored the eyes boring into him, but he knew Tony would fall in line. He had no other choice.

* * *

The wedding was spectacular. JJ looked beautiful and Tony, in the end, hadn’t cared how it all came about, Aaron could see that he was just happy he was married to the woman he had fallen in love with.

Aaron was a little emotional as he gave JJ away, he knew that she was completely moved in with Tony and it made him a bit sad that she wasn’t going to still be in the house twenty-four seven. She would always be his house manager and his and Spencer’s personal assistant, but it was now handled partially outside the home.

Everyone there complimented on the lavish buffet, the videographer and photographer was respectful of everyone there as was the press. JJ had made not only a lot of contacts but friends as well with the media and heads of charitable foundations that the Hotchner household contributed to.

Tony had a few friends, Aaron was more than a little amused to meet Dr. Brad Pitt, no relation. The man was funny, friendly, and very protective of Tony. Aaron was glad of that because it meant that JJ had people around her that would protect her as well. Not that she couldn’t. Aaron and Morgan had trained her well, as had Emily. She was a good shot with a gun, but also could fight very well hand-to-hand if required.

Aaron watched her off and on throughout the reception feeling a sense of change falling around him. He knew Morgan and Charlie were next. They had found a house that they both agreed on, and papers were being finalized. He was happy that Morgan found someone that put to rest some of those demons he still lived with. Aaron knew the man wouldn’t fully ever get over what happened to him, but with Charlie, he found someone he could be himself with, and Aaron watched as the man grew and let go.

Smiling he turned and watched as Jackson spun Spencer around on the dance floor making the man laugh. Soon the house would hold just the three of them and the children. Rossi would still come by, but as usual, he was quiet most of the time, preferring to spend much of his time in his personal study writing and researching. His latest book series was taking off, and Aaron knew it would be another round of book tours.

“Come dance with me.” JJ smiled at him as she tugged on his hands. “You look like you are entirely too much in your head.”

Aaron chuckled as he wrapped an arm around JJ’s waist, and held her close.

“Maybe I am.”

“Oh, no. Is the the sky about to fall? Is Aaron Hotchner, Esquire actually being sentimental?” JJ teased as they moved around the dance floor.

“Hm, maybe I am. You’re almost moved in with Tony and his son, as it should be. Derek and Charlie are moving in a few weeks. Penny is going back to her place. The house will seem practically empty.”

“Oh, I’m sure that you will be able to find ways to fill it. Other lost orphans will find their way to you, and you’ll take them in, groom them, be exceedingly generous, so they are infallibly loyal to you, then when the time is right, you’ll release them back into the big bad wild.” JJ reached up and kissed his cheek.

“Is that what I do?” Aaron let a tiny smile grace the corners of his lips.

“Aaron. You’ve never hidden who you are from me. I know you, but even as cruel and hard as you can be to those that displease you, you have this amazing capacity for generosity and, your own brand of love.”

Aaron sighed as he pulled the woman closer and danced. When the song was over, he kissed her forehead and held her just a few inches from him.

“I want you to have a good life, Jayje. You deserve it, and Tony, well Tony is everything I’m not and everything you need. I know you’ll be happy with him.”

JJ took a deep breath and willed the tears that pricked the corners of her eyes not to fall.

“Thank you, Aaron. That means everything to me.”

‘Now, go spend time with your husband. I’m going to see where Spencer and Jax got to.”

JJ hugged him one last time then went to find Tony talking to some of his friends.

“You okay?” Jackson asked as he came up behind Aaron and wrapped his arms around Aaron’s waist. “I know there’s been a lot of changes around you lately and I know how hard that is for you.”

“Good changes, though. I’m glad that JJ found someone she can love. She deserves it. It’s also long past time that Morgan was on his own.”

“So, other than Dave, with Emily taking over the guest house, the main house is all ours.”

Aaron turned in Jackson’s arms and kissed him.

“And I assume you have some plans for some of the rooms?”

“Perhaps. Look, it’s time for the little Q&A you promised the media vultures. I think, overall, they’ve been good. Staying where you told them to. No one wants to be kicked out of the biggest event of the year.”

“You are very perceptive. All right, I’ll go give the interview, then you, me and Spencer are going to say our goodnights to everyone and spend some quality time in the playroom. With all of the planning for this wedding, I miss you.” Aaron kissed Jackson, then went to tell Spencer his plan. When Spencer just buried his face against Aaron’s neck and held on tight, he knew that was going to be the right move. Spencer had been just as caught-up over the last few weeks, and they all let their physical needs get pushed aside.

Letting Spencer go, Aaron made his way to the press area, where pictures were taken, questions asked and answered, he was laughing and charming. Extolling the virtues of his assistant and his happiness over her nuptials. After about 90 minutes, Aaron called an end. He allowed the reporters around the perimeter of the party, but if anyone of them breached the tent, they would be thrown out. Security on the inside edge gave them a reminder that Aaron wasn’t joking.

As he walked back to the tent to gather Spencer and Jackson, telling his goodbyes to bride and groom, Aaron knew the publicity in the papers the next day would be spectacular, and it would endear him even more in public opinion. While he had genuinely wanted to do it for JJ, he was looking towards the future and the bigger picture.

Over the course of the next few weeks, Aaron was going to make plans. Big plans. Things he had never considered in the past but was considering now. He wanted to speak with Caffrey and Burke again. He was thinking of bringing in Burke as his personal accountant, and possibly more. The plans he had with Caffrey were more political. The man was attractive, personable, and he may be a con man, but Aaron figured he was precisely the type of person he needed for his plans. For Aaron was going to be playing a very delicate game, which he was determined to win.

# Our World

Spencer settled into the room given to the team to work on the case of seven missing adults, he had taken it over when Morgan had tasked him with finding the link between the victims and where they were taken. The rest of the team was working out of another room on other aspects of the case. Three women and four men abducted a week ago over the course of a week. The first abduction had happened two weeks before the FBI had been called in. A single adult taken from three different counties spaced over a week and then nothing. No bodies, no trace of the abductions. The only thing in common between the victims was that they mainly paid in cash. There were few electronic trails for them.

There were fourteen boxes of papers taken from the victim's apartments, houses, and cars. Every receipt found in the two places for each victim was being added to the large map of the three counties that the victims lived in. There was little crossover despite the fact that it was a smaller area, even being three counties wide. Spencer had started with the receipts found in the cars given the fact that those had a better chance of being newer than the ones in the house.

A chime on his phone had Spencer turning to pick it up from behind him. He saw it was a text from Aaron. Spencer saw that a picture was attached, so he swiped the notification banner away. Morgan had been on his ass more on cases after he had come back from his remedial training at the Academy. Aaron never texted him unless it was essential but lunch was just an hour away, and so he would look at it while he was eating.

The door to Spencer's room opened, and he turned to see a young officer standing there.

"Sorry, Sir. I knocked, but I don't think you heard me. Miss Jareau told me to go in if you hadn't responded."

"It's okay Officer Chambers. What did you need?"

"The officers and CSU teams going over the houses found more paperwork for you. Empties trash cans from the house in the garbage cans outside. I have another fourteen boxes for you."

"Thank you. Please bring them in and add them to the piles. Are the boxes marked?"

"Yes, Sir. I marked them as close to how you had these marked. Also, the daily planners for five of the victims have been found. I'll set them on top of the corresponding boxes."

"Thank you, Officer Chambers."

"My dad was an accountant. I know what he did to do his job correctly, and I kind of see this as that. You are trying to account for all things that the victims did to try and find how the...UnSut?"

"UnSub. Unknown Subject shortened to UnSub."

"How the UnSub finds the people he or she kidnaps."

"How long have you been on the job?"

"Five years, Sir."

"You don't have to call me Sir. Reid works just fine."

"Would you like me to unlock the thermostat? We keep it locked because we don't want people messing with it in this room, but I can unlock it so that you have control."

"That would be great, Officer Chambers."

"Chambers is fine," Chambers said as he left the room. Spencer looked at the boxes that were stacked outside but forced himself to look at his board. He had almost all of the receipts from the box he was working on sorting. Once he was done with that, he'd get them sorted up on the board with pins. JJ had made sure that he had as many different colors and shapes of pins that the local office supply had. Including animal shaped ones. Spencer had given her a smile at them, but he understood why she had got them. She knew that he would need as many as possible. Spencer had never needed more than a few colors before.

The door opened again, but Spencer didn't look away from the paper he was looking at. Chambers moved to the box on the wall and unlocked it before leaving again. Spencer listened as Chambers brought in the boxes and carefully placed them around the room in the piles Spencer already had going.

"You need anything, Reid, just let me know. I am working an eighteen-hour shift in the office today on the phone lines."

"Thanks, Chambers."

Spencer started to pin up the marks he needed for the second female, Aletha Robinson, and all of the places that she frequented. Spencer was lost in the geographic profile of the victims until JJ came into the room with a box of food. Spencer smiled at her and took it. He popped the lid to find that it was a burger with fries and onion rings. JJ sat down beside him on the top of the table and opened her own box. There was the other half of each order of fries and onion rings.

"I figured that something familiar would be good. I know that you and Hotch used to split them and I'm never in the mood for a full order of onion rings."

"Hotch and I would have done it in thirds with you. We were both the same. A full order of onion rings and him having to talk to people and sometimes without brushing teeth made it hard to want to eat a full order."

"Well whenever we do burgers, I'm totally all for splitting with you."

Spencer smiled and held up a long french fry. JJ raised up one of her own and tapped her on his in a mock of a cheers. JJ's eyes moved towards the board.

"That looks like a mess."

"Yes." Spencer picked up his burger and took a bite before reaching behind himself and grabbing his phone before his hands got too greasy. He opened the picture on the phone and smiled. It was Jack asleep in bed with Aaron, cuddled around Spencer's pillow. Aaron's face was smiling up at Spencer while his other arm was wrapped around Jack using Aaron's upper arm as a pillow. Spencer saved the picture as the new background for his phone. He set down the burger and grabbed an onion ring. He looked for the ketchup and saw that JJ had many packets scattered among them. Spencer set down the ring and worked on getting a pile of ketchup on the lid of the box. When he was done, he grabbed the ring up again and dipped it into the ketchup before taking a bite. Next, he rearranged the apps on the home screen to where he could see Jack and Aaron's faces. JJ leaned over and looked over his shoulder.

"That's adorable."

"Aaron says that Jack slips into bed with him when I am not there so that he doesn't wake alone. So Aaron's had to start wearing boxers to sleep in when I am not there. It started while I was at the Academy. Then it was only weekends, but since I've begun to go on cases again, it's every time I'm on a case."

"That's sweet. Jack really loves you."

"I love him. I didn't think it was possible to love someone that much. Loving Jack, both of them, has shown me why my mom stopped taking her meds to have me. She knew there was a chance that after she went back on them, the meds wouldn't work as well. I knew that she loved me, but I never understood the depths of it until I was protecting Jack from Foyet in the other place. I realized then that there wasn't a single thing that I wouldn't give to make sure that Jack lived, including my own life. I understand Haley's final moments better as well."

"I know what you mean. Until Henry was slipped into my hands, I never knew what unconditional love was."

Spencer looked up at what he had of the profile before he looked back down and grabbed up the burger again.

"Why are you in here with me?" Spencer asked.

"Morgan has Callahan and Rossi out just walking the scenes to see if they can see anything that the LEOs missed, they grabbed their food and ran with it. Blake is trying to keep Morgan calm. He's not handling waiting well, and since this is something that we can't help with, he's feeling impotent."

"That's a good word for how he's been acting since he took over the team. Why does he keep trying to follow in the footsteps of Hotch? At least when he was covering for Hotch in the aftermath of Foyet's attack, he was himself. He's trying too hard to be Hotch."

"I think that he wants to mess up enough to where he's replaced. Before when he was taking over for Hotch, it was temporary, and he knew it." JJ picked up her burger and took a huge bite. She chewed, and Spencer stayed silent. "I don't think that he trusts himself or he doesn't trust us."

"He's always had trust issues, but until he asks for help, we can't do anything."

"I wonder if he feels that you want his job."

"I can't be Unit Chief," Spencer pointed out. He grabbed a fry and chewed it quickly. "I'd have to make a move to another section inside the FBI to be a Unit Chief, they won't put me with Aaron directly above me in the chain of command like that."

"But you know that, and he knows that but does he fully understand that? Strauss always felt threatened by Hotch even though we all knew he didn't want the job. He took it this time because it was that or someone else coming in that we don't know and after all that we had faced because of it, Hotch wouldn't have taken the job for any other reason than to protect us."

"And you would do the same if it was to protect the team. If there came the point where you were asked to become Unit Chief you would hate it but do it."

"I don't even want to know what would have to happen for that to take place."

JJ laughed. The rest of the meal was eaten in silence. Spencer texted Aaron back that he was thankful for the photo. All he got back was a winking emoji from Aaron and it kind of freaked Spencer out for a second. He smiled and sent a kissing emoji back. If Aaron wanted to play, Spencer could as well.

"After we are done with lunch, Morgan, and Blake are going to head out, and I'm going to do another press conference. Begging for information on last sightings."

"That's good. Anything will help me."

Spencer ate the last couple of fries and then grabbed a stack of napkins to wipe his hands clean. He snatched up the next box and started to dig through the papers inside before he slipped up and off the table to scatter everything around in piles for the profile.

"I'll get you a cup of coffee from the place around the block before I do the conference." JJ kissed Spencer's cheek, wiping the lipstick away from it. Spencer blushed. "No married man should have a woman's lipstick on his face."

"JJ, I'm not-" Spencer stopped when JJ glared at him.

"It's words on papers. That collar under your shirt that you wear willingly and lovingly is more binding than a marriage contract. You taking that off would hurt worse than signing a divorce paper."

Spencer touched his collar, and he knew that JJ was right. It would hurt. He thought about it, and Spencer figured that he would probably have to be on suicide watch for a long while after if Spencer had to take off the collar, even if Aaron was a bastard and that was why he took it off because it meant that there was no saving them. Spencer thought about the spot on his back. The empty spot that was left by the other Aaron. The spot that Spencer hadn't known about when he left the other world. For Aaron to lay the final claim on Spencer's body.

"Thanks, JJ."

"Always Spencer. I know that we had our issues around me being in the State Department and everything with Prentiss. But I'm your friend first." JJ left, shutting the door behind her as she did. Spencer pushed himself into his work.

Eighteen hours later, Spencer had everything from the seven victims on the board. Nothing was tying them together. Three places connected five of the victims but no place that connected all of them, hell five was the most substantial number. Spencer had taken a three-hour nap in the middle of the night.

"You been here all night?" JJ asked.

"I slept a little bit, but I have this done. We have no way of knowing if the location of the cars is an abduction point or a dump point for the cars. At the moment, I can't narrow down the hunting zone, abduction, or dumping down until we have someone taken or a victim dumped."

"I hate it when it comes down to that. Wishing for another victim."

"It might have been better if we had been called in before a week after the last victim was taken. I can understand why though. Between three counties, one was a known drunk who disappeared and then the other is two, one male, one female from each county. It wasn't a pattern until two cops talked from two neighboring counties. That prompted a big search, and the third county was brought in. Rural Wyoming, there are few cameras when a bank isn't involved. We have nothing. I don't know if the UnSub is just that criminally sophisticated or if it's just luck of the area not having a camera on every single corner."

"Rossi said that Morgan didn't sleep all night. Paced the entire time."

"Glad I didn't go back, I'd have heard it all night long. I bet Rossi wanted to kill him."

"Rossi went to your room and sacked out on your bed with Blake."

"Blake was in my bed?" Spencer asked.

"No, I said that wrong. Sacked out with Blake in your room. Just in your bed and Blake in hers. I can tell you aren't thinking wholly about what we are talking about. You've not made a mistake like that in a while."

"Just wordings bother me, but yes I am focusing on the profile."

"There isn't anything there, Spence. You need to sleep."

"I had enough sleep. Morgan wants my profile to be explained to him as soon as he gets in."

"He and Rossi are behind me. Callahan, Blake, and I escaped before they got up. I guess Morgan got in late and with Rossi going to your room, he didn't get good sleep."

"Great, Rossi is going to be bitchy all day. Did you at least get him coffee?"

"Yes, this department's coffee sucks." Spencer took a sip of his coffee and looked back at the board. It was a huge space of nothing. "I'm not looking forward to going over this. We don't even have enough at all for a profile. It's been a week and nothing."

"Let's hope something happens soon.

* * *

Spencer pinned the seven lion-headed pins in places across the board. He tried to remove the sight of the flayed bodies from his memory, but it would take a lot more than breathing exercises and clearing his head. The new house was almost move in ready after the renovation to the basement were done. There were a few other things that Aaron wanted to be done to the rest of the house. Two weeks was the move in date with Aaron paying for a moving company to pack up each room of the apartments and move everything over to the new house. Aaron and Spencer had bought the furniture for the new rooms and even a new bed for the master bedroom, one that was more equipped for the play that they liked.

"Do you see anything, Reid?" Rossi asked as he entered Spencer's room in the police department.

"I see even less than I did before he dumped the bodies. We've been here three days. He did a long round trip around the edges of the three counties to dump the victims in fourteen places, bones and meat in one and the flesh in another." Spencer pointed at the wolf heads that were the dump locations for the piles of flesh while the lions were what was left of the bodies.

"When was the last time that you slept?" Rossi asked.

"I slept on the couch here last night. It's better than the bed in that hotel room. And better than listening to Morgan pacing until he passes out. What is he so worried about?" Spencer asked, turning to finally look at Rossi. Rossi shrugged and closed the door behind him.

"I've heard nothing from the people above about his performance. There is no question on any of it."

"Then why is this case making him so upset?"

"I don't know." Rossi shrugged.

Spencer turned back to the profile that he had built. There was nothing there. The UnSub was too careful on all of it. Doing too much to make sure that he wasn't being caught.

"We have a new abduction site. Reid, I'll get you all the information about the victim. Stay here and find out something," Morgan said, not even giving Spencer a chance to move at all. Spencer nodded, and Rossi followed Morgan out of the room.

Spencer's phone chimed, and it was JJ with the address of the abduction site and that an old lady had seen a man get into a car and force the driver, another man, into driving off. Spencer found the location of the abduction and put the square yellow pin in it. If that was the way of things, and this wasn't a rush job, it was the first abduction point that had been figured out, and that meant that the others were car dump sites. Spencer changed the tracks in his head.

Hours later, Morgan texted that he was having food sent to Spencer but that he wasn't to leave until he had an idea of a dump site or where he thought the next abduction was going to take place. Spencer knew that Morgan had turned into someone who only saw him for what his brain could do on the job, even after he'd graduated from the academy. Morgan wasn't doing well at making sure that no one burnt out. Spencer knew that the team was holding on by a thread. Every single order that Morgan had given him over the past few cases was all on his phone. Telling him to stay up and make sure that this and that was done. Telling him that he could sleep when the UnSub was caught and the newest. Spencer had texted the night before that he hadn't got a lot of sleep, to begin with over the case and Morgan told him to suck it up.

Lunch and dinner were brought to Spencer by Chambers as the team was combing the primary county, trying to stop the third abduction. If the UnSub stuck to the pattern from before, the main county was where the second victim was going to go missing from, and it was going to be sometime over the next few hours.

"Reid, do you need anything else?" Chambers asked as he got ready to leave for the day. Spencer could see the look on his face that he was upset about leaving when Spencer couldn't. Spencer had already started the formal complaint that was going to be filed when he got back to Quantico. He had downloaded the form to his phone long ago and had filled out a majority of it already.

"I'm good, Chambers. I'm going to bunk down soon and sleep. Don't worry."

"Well, I do worry. I've already told one of the other officers here to not let you have coffee."

"You know that actions like that have started wars before right?" Spencer asked, but he has a smile on his face and Chambers smiled back at him before leaving the room and shutting the door. Spencer turned back to the board and looked at it before grabbing the history books that he had asked for from the local libraries. Spencer was trying to see if there was any historical importance to the areas where the dumps had been made. So far he was coming up with nothing.

The light in the room flipped off, and Spencer looked out into the bullpen to see Chambers standing at the breaker box on the other side of the room. Spencer waved him away and laid the book down. He got up off the table and move away to lay down on the couch in the back of the room. Spencer laid on his back with his arm thrown over his face. There was a brief flare of light, and then the switch in the room was thrown, Spencer hoped by Chambers, but he wasn't going to look. It didn't take but a few seconds for Spencer to will himself to sleep. He was dead tired, and only his will was keeping him awake.

Spencer jerked awake when the door to the room he was in slammed opened before the light flooded the room. Spencer blinked the sleep out of his eyes and looked at Morgan standing in the door. Morgan looked pissed. He seemed really pissed.

"So you are sleeping," Morgan said.

"Yes, Morgan. For my brain to function, it needs sleep. We've been here nearly five days, and I can count the hours of sleep I've had on two hands, no toes needed."

"We had three more abductions, one in each county. I emailed you the details. Get it up on the board."

"Morgan, it's two am. I need sleep before I make a mistake on this profile. Let me get sleep, so I don't throw us in the wrong direction."

"No one else is getting sleep tonight, Reid. So you are not going to be the special one that does." Morgan left the room, and Spencer was upset that he hadn't recorded it. Spencer said fuck it to himself and started to work on the profile with the information on his phone. Including filling out the rest of the complaint and emailing it above Aaron's head. When it came to it when he was asked why he went above Aaron's head, Spencer was going to say that it was truthful, Spencer didn't want it to seem like he wanted Aaron to get him special treatment. He wanted to be treated like the adult that he was and an agent.

Spencer was finishing adding the newest abduction points when he heard a minor commotion in the bullpen. Spencer turned to see a man in there. Spencer thought that it was a family member of one of the newer abducted people, so he didn't stop and grab his gun from his bag. His credentials were on display on his hip though, and as soon as the man who was in the room saw him, the man started towards him.

"Sir, calm down," Spencer said. It wasn't until the man was too damned close to him that he realized that it wasn't an upset family member but the UnSub. Spencer tried to twist away from the man, but unlike Spencer this man was fresh, having probably been getting at least a few hours of sleep each night. Spencer felt the hand wrap around his throat, and he was turned and tucked into the man's body. Spencer didn't fight to get away. He waited. To see what the man was going to do.

"Where are the rest of the Feds?"

"At the other abduction sights," Spencer answered.

"Stupid Feds. Getting in my way. If I kill you, what will happen?" the UnSub asked. The UnSub shifted a little, and Spencer saw the glint off of a knife as it was raised to his throat. The UnSub didn't press it into his flesh, but it did make the officers in the room all tense up.

"The full force of the FBI will descend on this area. Fugitive apprehension squad, SWAT, probably a lot of other alphabet agencies as well. Why did you come in here? We hadn't even narrowed down an age yet on the person who is taking and killing people?"

"Your friends are crawling all over my place. I had nowhere else to go. It was come here and kill as many as I can or run. I've never been fond of running." The UnSub jerked around when the sound of the door behind him flew open. Spencer moved with the man as he put a wall behind him and had the whole of the bullpen open to his view. Spencer tried to calm the other officers down with his hands he didn't need them firing. There was only five of them there. The other officers were out and working on the case. Spencer settled in, used to the knife on his neck. If he was more awake and less running on steam, Spencer knew that he could have talked the man out of whatever he was doing, but at the moment, he could barely think. He could feel the weight of his backup gun, a gun that he had been wearing when he was alone without anyone of the team with him. All Spencer needed to do was get down to his knees. The sound of running feet had the UnSub pulling Spencer around and into the room that he had been using. The man looked at the board.

"You expected to find me with this?"

"It helps but no I didn't expect to find you with just this. Victimology would help. Who you took and why."

"You are one of those eggheads aren't you? Too up in your head to do anything?" The UnSub spun Spencer around and looked him in the eye. The jerking on Spencer had pulled his tie loose, and the edge of his collar was visible. "What the fuck is this?"

"The proof that I am going to live longer than you."

"How?"

"Because I won't allow myself to be killed by someone like you." Spencer knew that it was a gamble. The UnSub drew his hand back and cracked Spencer so hard across the jaw that he fell down, hard on the floor. Before Spencer could even think about grabbing the backup gun, the UnSub was there on top of him, the knife flashed, and pain blossomed in Spencer's side just below his ribs. The UnSub jerked the knife out and stood up to move towards the door, drawing a gun. Spencer fought through the pain and grabbed his gun with his right hand after pressing his left into the wound. He aimed and fired. From the angle that he was at, there was no one else who could get hit, and the UnSub was a larger man, so he made a bigger target. Spencer fired three times. Catching the man with all three of them. The UnSub turned around and glared as Spencer fired again. This one caught the man in the lungs and Spencer listened as he gurgled the last of his blood out as he hit the floor.

"Reid!?" Rossi yelled.

"Clear. Fuck. Get a medic. I've been stabbed." Spencer threw his gun down and placed his right over his left on his chest. Rossi came around the table, and as soon as he saw Spencer on the floor, his face went white. "If any of you call Aaron before me I will make your lives a living hell. As soon as I'm stitched up by the doctor, I'll call Aaron myself because if it's anyone else, he is going to freak out."

"It's just me here. The others are out. I was coming back to make you get some sleep, despite what our illustrious leader has demanded."

"No narcotics, remember." Spencer relaxed down onto the floor and kept his hands pressed on his wound.

"I remember." Rossi had his phone out, but Chambers entered the room with a phone stuck to his head.

"Ambulance is just a minute away, and I heard the no narcotics. Allergic?"

"Yes," Spencer and Rossi answered at the same time. Chambers relayed this into the phone before he hung up.

"The EMTs are volunteers, and most of them are on the force as well, either as police officers or firefighters." Chambers looked like it was the first time that he had seen blood. "I've only ever stopped bar fights. This is a lot different."

"Welcome to the world. This is the first time I've been stabbed though." Spencer groaned as Rossi pressed his hands over the top of Spencer's giving a little more pressure to the wound. Spencer closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. The thing that he was thankful for was that it hadn't gone in his back. He would hate to have the tattoo wrecked.

Spencer was lost in a haze of pain as the EMTs arrived and worked on him before putting him on a stretcher and getting him out of the police station. Spencer had no clue who rode with him as he didn't recognize the voice at all due to the pain but he knew that his bag was with him as well as his phone.

There were tests that Spencer was sure were necessary before he was finally taken into surgery to make sure that nothing was nicked that would make him bleed into his chest cavity. A very calm nurse explained it all to him as he was bombarded with pain. This wasn't fun pain, and Spencer knew that he'd never be ashamed for wanting the pain that Aaron gave him because this wasn't anything that was arousing.

The nurse was there through Spencer being prepared for surgery and as he was knocked out.

* * *

Spencer knew where he was from the smell of the room, but he also knew that he wasn't alone because of the smell that was just underneath the smell of a hospital room. Aaron was there.

"Just breathe, Spencer," Aaron whispered as a hand made its way through Spencer's hair, it just rested there and didn't pull. Spencer remembered that he wanted to be the one to tell Aaron, but given that it seemed that he had been out for a while, he wasn't that upset. "An Officer Chambers accessed your phone and called me. Saying that you told him to, had even given him the code as soon as you realized that you were going into surgery. Jackson had me flown out on the fastest Jet that he owned. Your complaint was not well received not because you sent it but because you felt the need to file it before you even got back from the case. The doctor said that you were under severe exhaustion before this happened."

"What's going to happen?"

"Right now just an investigation. Morgan had been placed on paid leave at the moment, and Rossi and Blake have stepped up to direct the team. Anderson has been tapped for cases. You are going to be on medical leave while this heals. Because of the exhaustion, you are going to be slow to heal over the next few days, so you are stuck here. I have to leave in a few hours to start the investigation. Jessica and Jack are going to be staying here with you. The team is being recalled. Jack and Jessica are on their way, as soon as they touch down, I'm leaving on the BAU jet with the team. Unless you want me here?"

"No. Well yes, I want you here, but you need to be there as well. I need you there more than I need you here."

"That's exactly what I said you would say to JJ and Jessica. JJ is not happy with Morgan, and I think that it's best I am there as a buffer on the flight home."

Spencer nodded. He hadn't opened his eyes yet, afraid of the light that he knew was going to blind him. Spencer shifted a little, trying to face where he knew Aaron was and that was when he realized that he still felt his collar on his neck. Spencer's hand shot up, and he hissed in pain as it made his side flare. Aaron grabbed Spencer's hand and settled down onto his stomach. Aaron's other hand dropped from his hair down to his neck, pressing the collar in just a little.

"As soon as the doctor cleared you to wear it again, I put it back on you. He agreed with me that the stress of waking up without it was going to hurt you more than anything else."

"I'm glad," Spencer murmured, he hadn't even thought about it. What everyone who had seen him had to have thought.

"The EMT's took it off and gave it to Chambers who slipped it into your bag. He kept that thing with him like a lifeline. What is it with you and ducklings huh?"

"Chambers is a good officer. He even cut me off of coffee at one point, but Morgan destroyed that."

"Medal of Honor winner he is." Aaron's voice cracked, and Spencer forced his eyes open. He looked up at the man he loved, seeing the devastation on his face. Spencer reached up and pulled his face down, not to kiss him but to nuzzle in at the side of his neck. Aaron shifted from a sitting position on the edge of the hospital bed to lie down. Spencer realized that he wasn't in the middle of the bed. "You slept better even knocked out with me in bed, and so they set me up on your good side."

"How long have I been out?"

"Twelve hours since you came out of surgery. Don't worry it was a natural sleep, your body was worn out before you went in. The blade didn't nick anything, and you are going to heal up just fine."

Spencer yawned, but he fought the sleep that was taking him over again. He had such a short time with Aaron that he didn't want to go to sleep. Aaron rolled onto his side, draping his arm across Spencer's waist, well below the injury. Aaron settled in right there and closed his eyes. Spencer closed his eyes as well. A small nap wouldn't hurt, not with Aaron right there with him.

* * *

The next time that Spencer opened his eyes, it was darker outside, and it wasn't just from the curtains being pulled. The sun was making its downward trek across the sky. Aaron was still in bed with him, asleep, breathing deeply. Spencer traced his fingers up and down Aaron's arm as the man slept. Spencer knew that he had been keeping calm because he hadn't wanted to upset Spencer but that as soon as he got to Quantico, shit was going to hit the fan, and Spencer wasn't upset by that.

Aaron's arm around Spencer's waist tightened as he shifted a little. The sound of talking in the hall near Spencer's room had Aaron waking up all the way in seconds. The door opened and Jessica's head poked in. Spencer followed the trail of her arm down to where Spencer hoped Jack was. The boy moved around the edge of the bed to where Spencer could see him. Spencer smiled at Jack as Aaron sat up on the bed. As soon as Jack got near his father, Aaron was picking him up and set him down on the bed beside him. Jack reached out and touched Spencer's arm.

"Papa?"

"I'm good, Jack. Aaron help him." Spencer waved up and down his body, and Aaron slipped off the bed and allowed Jack to lay down where he was, making sure that Jack knew exactly where to not touch. Spencer wrapped his good arm around Jack and tucked him in close. Jack didn't say anything just laid there with his head buried in Spencer's neck.

"You do look good. Aaron didn't call and tell us until after he had seen you. All we knew was that something had gone wrong on the case and he was needed out here as Section Chief," Jessica said as she came to stand beside Aaron at the side of Spencer's bed. She reached up and brushed a lock of hair away from Spencer's forehead. "So I brought enough work to keep me entertained for a week and enough to slip you some to work on when you start to go crazy. I also brought that Kindle you bought to try and read on. I thought that now was a good time to try it out."

"I don't know if I should thank you or curse you." Spencer held out his hand for the device. Jessica handed it over. Spencer turned it on to find that Jessica had removed all of the non-fiction books from it and all that was left was fiction. Spencer frowned and looked up at her.

"Don't hate me. Jackson said that the non-fiction was for degrees you are working on or just straight for work. He wants you to relax, so he accessed the device and removed them from it. If you are good and the doctor proclaims you not exhausted anymore, I'll hook it back up to the Internet in the building and allow you to read a few."

"What's stopping me from doing that?" Spencer asked.

"Jackson disabled the Wifi on it. Be a good boy, and he'll turn it on again."

"This is becoming a Nazi state," Spencer grumbled. Aaron chuckled as he leaned over and brushed the hair from Spencer's forehead again. He kissed Spencer's softly on the lips. Aaron frowned and reached over into Spencer's bag. He grabbed something that Spencer couldn't see. Spencer heard a tink, and then Aaron's thumb was tracing his bottom lip. When the thumb hit the corner, it lifted up and moved away before moving back again. Spencer felt the thumb on his upper lip, and it was then that he realized it was his lip balm tub that Aaron had pulled out. Aaron handed it to Jack who dotted a bit on his own lips before giving it back. Jack liked to use Spencer's even though he had a stick of the same stuff in his bedroom. Jessica probably hadn't thought to bring it.

"Lips all dry?" Spencer asked. Aaron nodded before he leaned down kissed Spencer again. Spencer felt Aaron smile into the kiss.

"Yes. Your tub is a little low. I'll have Officer Chambers get you another one."

"Aaron, I don't need Chambers-" Spencer stopped talking when Aaron pressed a finger over his lips.

"Chambers has been put down as your guard. The B Team for the BAU is already in town and picking up where your team left off. Your initial statement to Morgan about there not being enough proof either way on if this is the work of a lone man or a pair or a group. Until such a time, Chambers and Jessica will be here with you. Short jaunts out, Chambers can do. Or Chambers can stay, and Jessica can go."

"Jackson had me qualify for carrying a gun. I've filed all the paperwork needed to carry in the states that I have been in so far." Jessica smiled and patted the purse at her side. "I cleared it to have inside the hospital."

"All for me?"

"Reid, you took out the UnSub, if there is more than one, they will be gunning for you. Right now, you are a perfect target. Stuck in bed in a busy hospital."

"I don't like it when you call me Reid," Spencer said with a pout. Aaron smiled at him.

"Well right now you are my underling, not my lover. I know in a case like this the lines are blurred. The doctor has already ordered you dinner for today. Chicken noodle soup with some rolls and Jell-O. Keep it down, and breakfast might get better."

"I'll eat what I am given." Spencer knew that Aaron would be disappointed in him if he didn't do everything that he could to make himself better.

"Good. I packed you a go-bag with clean, soft clothes, and few other things that you might like to have with you. At the doctor's discretion."

Spencer frowned until Aaron messed with the cuffs on his shirt. Aaron had made sure that he had his cuffs.

"I love you," Spencer said.

"I love you, too. Text me whenever you want. I'll respond when I can."

"Okay." Aaron kissed him again before he left the room. Spencer watched Aaron go until he couldn't see him anymore. When Spencer looked down at Jack, he rolled to his side a little bit, keeping the hiss of pain inside of his mouth. He wrapped his arm around Jack a little tighter.

"Tell me what you are thinking Jack."

"Dad said that you were fine, but I told him that I wanted to see you. That's why he had Aunt Jess come out. I would have been fine with a Skype call."

"But he knew that I would want to see you and be able to cuddle you. Cuddling makes me feel better. He also knew that I would be a better patient if you were here."

"Cause you and Dad are always better patients when I am around, so you don't teach me bad habits."

"Exactly. We both know how bull-headed your father can be when he doesn't feel good." Spencer brushed the hair away from Jack's forehead, Jack tipped his head back enough to where he could look up at Spencer.

"But you are fine right?"

"I haven't had a chance to talk to the doctor myself yet, but your father would never lie about something like this to me, and he wouldn't have left if I wasn't on the mend. I just need to rest."

"Yes, rest." Jessica took a seat in the chair that was close to the bed and pulled out a book, handing it over to Jack. "Why don't you read to him, Jack. See if we can't get another nap out of him before dinner gets here."

"Okay." Jack opened the book and found where they had left off before. It was the book that was used by Spencer to work on Jack's diction and his ability to speak in front of his class. Spencer smiled over Jack's head as he settled fully on his side. He knew that keeping from getting a bedsore was going to be one of his issues and if he could get to where the Doctor would let him out of bed quicker, he could go home quicker where he would heal better surrounded by his things and his creature comforts.

Spencer relaxed down into the bed and closed his eyes, letting Jack's words wash over him.

* * *

Spencer was alone in the hospital room the next morning. Chambers was outside as Spencer wanted a few minutes alone. Jessica had taken Jack out for breakfast and was bringing Spencer back some french toast from IHop. The doctor had been in and checked over his wound and the surgery site and proclaimed him healing well. He still needed to rest and sleep as much as his body wanted.

The ringing of his phone drew Spencer out of his thoughts. He looked and saw that it was JJ. Spencer smiled and swiped to answer the phone.

"JJ, I'm fine."

"We are waiting on Agent Morgan before we start anything," a strange voice said.

"Hello?" Spencer asked. He pulled the phone away from his head and looked to see a text from JJ that had arrived just as the call had arrived, telling him that he needed to just listen.

"What is going on?" Morgan asked.

"Agent Hotchner asked for a more informal hearing than what happened in the wake of Agent Prentiss's faked death. Please, Agent Morgan, take a seat, and we can start this hearing."

"Why was my team pulled off of the case? We have worked before after an UnSub had hurt a team member."

"There were three complaints filed about how you are managing your agents in this case Agent Morgan."

"What?" Morgan and Aaron said at the same time. Spencer settled down on the bed and pulled up his knees, creating a kind of wall between him and the rest of the room.

"Agent Reid filed one on the fact that he was the only member of the team not allowed to leave the station and sleep on a regular basis. Five days on the case and by his estimation, he slept eleven, caught on a couch in the station house. A signed affidavit by five LEOs that corroborate the statement made by Agent Reid. When Agent Reid made the comment that he needed sleep before he made a mistake on the profile he was working on was messed up beyond repair, Agent Morgan you told him that he was not the only one that was tired and that he wasn't going to be the special one on the case."

"I may have said something like that yes. None of us were operating on enough sleep."

"However, the team had been getting at least five hours a night, the minimum required by all BAU team members before one can be allowed to function in the field."

"Reid wasn't in the field."

"When on a case an Agent is always in the field. Just because Agent Reid was inside of the police station. As Reid stated, he was afraid that no sleep was hurting the case more than helping it. The statement that he typed up and sent as soon as he was able to on his tablet that he has in his possession from his work with Grimes Tech states that he knew he was too tired to even try and talk the man out of hurting anyone else. He was trying to minimize the damage done but hadn't thought the man would attack him. Based on a report one of the first times that Doctor Reid talked down an UnSub that was set on killing, Doctor Reid spent what was an estimated fourteen minutes talking down Hardwicke and in Agent Hotchner's words saved both of their lives. His mind has shown to be as good of a tool in saving lives as it does in finding the UnSub your team chases and yet his mind was treated as a tool to be used and thrown away at the end. I have the doctor's report that he was working under severe exhaustion. We strive to make sure that the BAU does not get burnt out, especially post Jason Gideon, and yet you seem to not care."

"Don't tell me that I don't care about my team!" Morgan demanded and slammed his hand down on the table. Spencer jumped on the bed, and his heart monitors spiked. Not thankfully enough to call the doctors in on him.

"Your team's closure rate has dropped by ten percent since you have taken over. It has stayed there the entire time. As well as your rating with the locals that have called you in on cases has dropped down to an all-time low. I think that your team, Agent Morgan, has been holding out and hoping that you level out into the man you had been when you had taken over for Agent Hotchner almost three years ago. The FBI does not feel that this is possible, you've been given time to acclimate yourself to what the new circumstances of the BAU team are."

"What?"

"Agent Morgan, you are relieved of your duties as Unit Chief of the BAU. Where you are going to going from here is still up to a decision that will be made after all of your team is debriefed. You are still going to be on paid leave." There was the sound of a chair moving and then high heels of the woman leaving the room. Spencer could hear JJ's breathing but nothing else. Spencer figured that everyone was shocked.

"Do you want to have a go at me, now too Hotch? Cause I let your Pretty Boy get himself hurt?"

"I'll let Reid have that shot. You don't want me in this room as Aaron, Morgan. As Agent Hotchner, I can only harm your career. As Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid's lover and Dominant, I would kill you for what allowed to happen to him when you couldn't give a damn except for your case and get it figured out as soon as possible instead of giving a shit about your team. As Unit Chief, I never went to bed when any member of my team was awake for as long as I was. If a team member was awake after me, I made sure that they got the sleep needed to function. I stuck by the guidelines that were set down to make sure that my team could function to the best of their ability. I listened when they thought they were compromised over no sleep or needed a break from the case. For Prentiss, that was a quick run through a shoe store. JJ, a call to Will to talk about Henry. Reid, it's a quick ten minutes with whatever science text that he brought with him. Dave, it's a quick smoke with a cigar. You, it's time to decompress with music, and I would either call Jack and talk to him or look through the pictures I have on my phone. You worked a member of your team into the ground, and because of it when the UnSub came for the team, Reid was left alone. This part of this would have happened no matter what relationship I have with Reid. That was part of your problem, you kept trying to live up to me instead of being your own Unit Chief. I never tried to become Gideon. I never tried to make the team respond to me the way that they did him. I became my own Unit Chief, you were too short-sighted to see what was in front of you."

Morgan said nothing to defend himself, he got up and left the room. Spencer could hear his heavy steps as he moved away.

"I think that for now, Dave if you and Blake would handle the Unit Chief job while we get this mess straightened out. Reid's going to be out until he's cleared by medical. God, this team can't take much more."

"I'll put out a few feelers and see what we have as far as possible Unit Chiefs."

"I'd still rather promote from within. Reid won't do it, even if we get dispensation. His heart in the Grimes project and he wouldn't have a life if he were Unit Chief and head of it. I know that you don't want it full-time Dave but Blake, you've had enough time in and if the rest of the team agrees we can go with that. I will want to talk to every single member alone to see if that's the agreement of all of you."

"Are you going to join Spencer?"

"Jack and Jessica are with him and if he wants he I can make a visit or two but no, I'm not going to stay with him. And JJ. You can turn the phone off of speaker now. I'm sure that Spencer has heard enough." Aaron's voice was warm and soft and a tone that was never used inside of the BAU. It made Spencer settle down into the bed more, relaxing.

JJ's laugh transferred down the line, and Spencer smiled to himself as he waited for JJ to talk to him.

"How are you doing, Spencer?" JJ asked.

"I'm good. Jack and Jessica are getting breakfast. I'll be overrun soon I believe. Give Henry a kiss and a hug for me yes?"

"Of course, if I thought I'd get away with it, I'd give Hotch a kiss too."

Spencer could hear the smirk on her face as she spoke and he was pretty sure that the snort on the other end was Aaron.

"As long as you don't leave lipstick on him, I say go for it."

JJ laughed, and Spencer could feel his own stress start to drop more from it.

"I love you, JJ. I know that I don't say it that much, but I do. We've gotten a lot closer since I've got back and I do want you to know it."

"I think that your happy medicine they have you on is making you weepy, Spencer but I love you as well. Now go enjoy time with your sister-in-law and son."

Spencer pressed the hang up button as he pulled the phone away from his ear. Spencer wiped at the tear that was in his eye just as the door opened again and Jack entered with a bag that was nearly as big as him. Jack had a smile plastered on his face that looked like it could light up the world.

"Papa, Jessica let me get everything that I wanted! She said we could snack on it all day long."

"That's an awesome aunt," Spencer said.

"And an excellent sister-in-law," Jessica said as she entered. In her hand was four cups sitting in a tray. Spencer eyed them. It wasn't drinks from IHop. No, it was from a coffee shop that Spencer had seen in the town when they had been driving in. "I got you a coffee for later, you can doctor it up to your will, but so that you don't get a headache, I also got you a..." Jessica looked at Jack.

"A London Fog, you talked about wanting to try it, and I asked the nice lady who was making drinks if they had it and she said that she could make it real quick."

"The softer black tea, bergamot, and milk will be better on my stomach as a trial, thank you both." Spencer held out both of his hands like a kid begging. Jessica smiled and handed it over. Spencer took the first sip and sighed in happiness. Jessica took the bag from Jack and started to dish out the food. He saw that one of the boxes wasn't a regular styrofoam but a locking plastic one and it was full of fruit. There were even plates in the bag. One box had french toast that was handed over to Spencer. Jack had pancakes, and Jessica had got waffles. There was syrup and butter and silence as each of them prepared their food to their liking. The final two boxes held hash browns and breakfast meat. Those were divided equally with Jack taking bacon, Jessica a little bacon and a little sausage, and leaving the sausage and a single piece of bacon for Spencer.

Jack sat on the end of Spencer's bed and ate his breakfast while Jessica sat right close to him. Jack kept his drink in the carrier and only lifted it out on occasion to take a sip. Spencer's plain coffee was still in the carrier, so it balanced Jack's out.

"So, I was thinking. There is this huge attraction a half a state over that I've wanted to see for years. What do you think it would take to have Jackson allow me to sweet talk the pilot into going there instead of home?" Spencer asked.

"I don't know. But for me to agree to it, it'll be pushed around in a wheelchair the entire time. Jackson has already bought one, and it's on the jet just waiting for you. Something about it being one of the best that's not automatic. He didn't feel your brain and joystick would be good. So you'll have to consent to me pushing you around."

"I have no problems being pushed around in a wheelchair. There is no way that I'll be able to and Jackson is right that I would probably run over people's toes too much."

"I can help push too!" Jack said, his mouth full of pancakes. Spencer laughed and handed over a napkin motioning at his lips, which were covered in syrup.

"I'm sure that you can, but sometimes you'll have to let Jessica cause I don't want to be run into people."

Spencer didn't want to go home, he wanted a little bit of time to decompress from the case and the inevitable fallout of it. There was too much change in too short of time. He would make sure that it was fine with Aaron, but he didn't think that it would be too much of an issue, as long as he promised to take care of himself and to listen to his body.

* * *

 

"How are you feeling?" Aaron asked as he entered the cabin on the jet. What was supposed to be a quick trip to a single attraction on the way home from Wyoming had turned into a five-state hop with Jackson and Charlie tagging along. Jack had the time of his life, and it had been good for Spencer, who chatted with Aaron every single night before they went to bed. Jack usually was sitting in his lap when he did it, all three of them talking about their day while the other three enjoyed their single king bed. Jack hadn't asked about that yet, but Spencer figured that it would come when Jack was home alone with Aaron and him. Jack knew that the three of them shared a bed as there was only a single one in their room. Spencer and Jack were sharing as well, more for Spencer who slept better with someone in the bed with him, even if it wasn't Aaron. They were also sharing a King bed.

"Tired but it's a good tired."

"You look better than you did even before the case and all of this." Aaron looked Spencer up and down before he moved over and crouched in front of Spencer, who was already seated in the wheelchair, Charlie had helped him get into it after they had landed. Aaron's hand reached out, and Spencer wasn't shocked when it went right for his shirt. He had made sure to wear a loose shirt just for this reason, one that didn't tuck into his pants. Spencer shifted a little to where Aaron could get a good look at the still covered stitches. Spencer spent a good bit of time in the evenings in the hotel rooms without a shirt, allowing his side to get air and not be smothered by a bandage.

Aaron's warm hand settled down on the skin just below the stitches. Spencer closed his eyes as gentle lips pressed into his stomach. His shirt was released, but the hand stayed where it was. Aaron leaned up to press a chaste kiss into Spencer's lips.

"Your medical leave is still another two weeks before you are going to be allowed to consult from Quantico on cases. Anderson is still happy to be filling in for you and as he puts it be your eyes and mouth on cases. I didn't know what he meant until I saw him texting you."

"I told him that he could especially since he's feeling so out of sorts with all the changes."

"I want to take you straight home, but we have some work things to discuss, and I want to do it first thing so I have a bureau SUV outside and we are going to go to Quantico to talk, boss and subordinate before we head home. Jackson is going to go with Jessica and Jack home. Charlie is heading back to GWU to get his classes back to rights after his TAs destroyed him if I understood his utterings right."

Spencer smiled and reached up to pull Aaron back in for a less chaste kiss.

"You are not cleared for that yet." Aaron turned his face away from Spencer so that Spencer couldn't kiss him again. Spencer pouted but only for a few seconds.

"No, I am not cleared for athletic sex. The doctor that I saw in Texas two days ago said that as long as I allowed you to do more of the work and it was vanilla sex, it would be fine. She dips into the lifestyle on occasion when she needs to let go from being a top doctor in all of the south, she said that we could have sex. She said to trust what my body was telling me and as long as I didn't go near subspace, you would be able to trust that you aren't hurting me on accident." Spencer turned Aaron's face back to him to where they could at least look at each other. "I missed you."

"I know. I missed you too." Aaron leaned back in and kissed Spencer, letting his hands explore Spencer's body as his tongue finally invaded Spencer's mouth. It wasn't meant to be arousing, and to Spencer, it felt good. To be in Aaron's hands again, to feel his lover there with him. It was a welcoming home and a reassurance all at the same time. When Aaron pulled back, he nuzzled in at Spencer's cheek. "Are you ready to go to work?"

"Is the team in town? Anderson hasn't texted."

"Yes, but we aren't going to the BAU. I didn't think that you want to be bombarded with that at the moment. Grace is going to meet us on the third floor."

"The third floor is where we had that meeting with the brass after Prentiss."

"Yes. It's an informal meeting with you and Serena Womack and me of course. Grace is going to take notes from the meeting, but it's mainly to discuss what happened in the case, a verbal statement from you that is going to go with the written one that you gave them. I don't know why they think it will be shorter. I'll be in there as your boss, but she'll be directing the questions."

"Okay...Should I change?" Spencer looked down at his slacks and a T-shirt."

"No. You are still on medical leave. You don't need to look pristine unless you want to wear one of your suits. I did bring one with me just in case."

"No, I'll be fine in this if you are okay with me looking like this?"

"I am fine with it." Aaron stood up and moved to where he could push Spencer towards the door. "How have you been doing this?"

"Walking and usually Jackson carried the wheelchair down after I walked down. I just have to limit my walking still not cut it all out."

"Okay. Are you okay to-" Aaron stopped when Spencer glared at him and pushed himself up and out of the chair. Aaron stayed right behind him the whole way down, but Spencer wasn't exactly sure what Aaron would do if Spencer did start to stumble. Aaron was behind him with the wheelchair in hand. It was light, but it would still knock Spencer over if Aaron tried to grab for him. Spencer felt a small twinge in his side, too much moving around in the past day and his body was letting him know it. He was going to let Aaron push him everywhere over the course of the day, one to have Aaron that close to him and the other because he really wanted sex and there was no way that Aaron was going to give it to him if he even thought that he would hurt Spencer.

It was a two hour debrief between Spencer and the Unit Chief for the local terror unit, Serena Womack. Spencer had never met her before, but she was the only one that agreed to go over his statement with him. Spencer knew why immediately. She had a genius level IQ and was able to keep up with him as well as make sure that what he said wasn't being turned around. Spencer liked her. The last half an hour was a discussion between the three of them about Blake becoming the Unit Chief. Spencer agreed that he would rather see her in it than an outsider, even if she was one of the newer people, but Spencer didn't want it, and neither did Rossi. JJ didn't have the time in as an SSA for it. She had spent too long as just an Agent on the team and not a Supervisory Special Agent.

"So are we heading home now?" Spencer asked as he gently pulled himself up and into the front seat of the SUV. Aaron had said that it was at his disposal because they both had compact cars and bending and twisting to get out of them wasn't good for him for at least another week. JJ was going to pick up Aaron for work the next day.

"We are heading home." Aaron started the SUV and easily pulled out of the loading/unloading zone that the SUV had been waiting for them in.

"Good. I miss our bed."

"Hmm." Aaron hummed in agreement, and Spencer was a little worried what that meant. He looked at Aaron's hands to see him gripping the wheel just like he always did. However, his left foot was tapping up and down just enough that Spencer could see the shift in the pants leg. The trip to the highway was quick, but Aaron didn't settle into the normal lane for heading to the apartment. Spencer's brain tracked the exits that were along this lane of the highway. There was only a single one that Spencer cared about.

"Aaron?" Spencer turned a little in his seat to look at his lover, seeing Aaron's face break into a smile.

"Jackson was more than willing to distract you for a week longer than you had planned. I pushed extra money at the contractor to get it done before you got home. Everything from the apartments is all moved in and ready for us. Jack has been there all afternoon. You can, of course, change whatever you want, as long as you direct from your wheelchair and allow Jack and I to do the hard labor."

"You did this for me?"

"Spencer, there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for you, but yes, I thought that coming home to home would be a good surprise for you."

"It is a good surprise, but I would have been just as happy to come back to living in an apartment with you. As long as I am with you, I don't care where we live."

"And you call me sappy." Aaron's smile was still large. He took the turn onto the exit that was taking them home.

Spencer reached out and plucked Aaron's hand from the gear shirt on the SUV and brought the hand up to his lips, pressing a kiss into the back of it.

"That blank book on my back," Spencer said.

"Yes?" Aaron asked.

"It took me a little to figure out why he left it blank and even when I did figure it out, I didn't tell you. I've..." Spencer squeezed Aaron's hand to try and lessen what he was saying.

"It was a personal thing, and before recently, I'd not earned that right. I'm not going to be upset, even if you did outright lie to me about anything during that time. You don't need to try and soften a blow. I didn't bring it up because I figured that you would when you felt like bringing it up."

"It's for you. For you to lay your claim on me."

Aaron said nothing as he drove, his eyes on the road in front of them, his hand was lax in Spencer's but his cock, Spencer could see it hardening in his pants.

"That's a lot more arousing than it has any right on being." Aaron's hand squeezed Spencer's, and Aaron turned quick enough to give Spencer a smile. "So I can put anything that I want there?"

"Yes."

"You aren't going to limit me?"

"I doubt you are going to put anything like 'I love Spencer's mouth on my cock' so yes, anything that you want, and it doesn't have to be anytime soon. You'll find the quote that you want when the time is right."

"Do I get to go with you?"

"Yes and be in the room with me. Watching my skin get inked."

"I'll make sure it's perfect then."

Spencer closed his eyes and hummed, trusting that Aaron would do just that. He was looking forward to going home, home to a new home but still home because Aaron was there.

# Mirror World

“So, explain this to me, Aaron, because you have never talked about being interested in politics before. Other than being behind the scenes and now you want to run for Senator?”

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while, Jax. I believe that I can do more, push for more if I were actually in the political arena. Like, pushing to make polyamorous marriages legal.”

“Is that why you’re doing this? Aaron, I know if you were to ever ask for someone to marry you it will be Spencer. I’m secure enough in our relationship that I can handle it.” Jackson walked over and made Aaron look at him. “You don’t have to do such crazy endeavors to show that you love me. I know you love me. I also know you want to own and possess Spencer in every way possible. It doesn’t make me jealous.”

“That isn’t the only reason, Jax. There is still so much that hasn’t been done. I understand just how deeply damaged this country was before my father began the push for change. I also am not above using my position to get exactly what I want. I want this, Jax.”

Jackson leaned against the window in the atrium. He and Aaron were spending some time just themselves. Spencer had taken the kids out for the day, getting them up early he had a whole day planned.

“Does Spencer know?”

“Yes. We talked about it last night, and he will do whatever I need him to do to win.”

“What about certain businesses?”

“If you paid attention to the new portfolio, I’ve divested both Grimes Industries and MH Holdings from any questionable activities. I even donated some of the money to several charities.”

“Family rights groups will put us under a microscope. Are you ready for that?”

“Jackson, I have never hidden my relationship with Spencer from anyone, and you know he loves it. This will be the ultimate display for him. I’m not going to hide you either. We would all be in this, and I won’t back down from the hard questions about my lifestyle.”

Jackson just shook his head and laughed.

“You’ll charm the panties off most of those women, even knowing they won’t have a chance. And more than one male will certainly be holding you up as the gay alternative lifestyle poster boy. I swear you just might win this.”

“So, you’re behind me in this?”

“Of course. I will support you. Now, have you decided on campaign manager, or campaign accountant, etc.?”

“I want Neal Caffrey as my campaign manager. And before you say I’m crazy, he’s perfect. He’s attractive, charming, good under pressure, smart and knows how to work up a crowd. He and his husband are also making a fresh start. I think the trial scared the both of them.”

“You really have this all figured out, don’t you?”

“I even have the perfect place for campaign headquarters. It’s that building on DuPont that we haven’t decided what to do with. The bottom floor is perfect for our needs. It’s already set-up with office space. Won’t take much to get it cleaned up and ready to go.”

“Then I will get started trying to charm people out of their money for your campaign.”

“I knew there was a reason I loved you.”

Jackson laughed as he moved to kiss Aaron.

“You are a terrible man, yet I love you more than is probably healthy for me.”

“We should get Victor to do the redecorating. He’ll love being involved, even in just a small way.”

“Oh, yes he will. I’m meeting him for lunch tomorrow, shall I see what he says?”

“Perfect. Now, no more talks about campaigns and futures. I want you to hurt me, then fuck me. Then after, I want to go to Delacour and eat extravagant food, drink extravagant wine, then come back and have some fun with our Pet.”

“Like I said, terrible. But, I’m all too happy to oblige.”

* * *

Aaron stretched out in bed, his body singing from Jackson’s ministrations. Aaron was lazing for a little while before he had to take a shower. Jackson was the only one Aaron could ever submit too, the only one he trusted to give him what he needed when he needed centering. Aaron was happy, well as happy as he could be. Emotions were always just a little foreign to him. Aaron knew he loved Jackson, he knew he loved Spencer and the children, but sometimes when Aaron would look at his family, there was a disconnect, and he wondered how his life had gotten to this place. Sometimes what he felt for Spencer was possession. It was like this need deep inside him that just had to have Spencer.

Aaron knew some would look at his relationship with Spencer and see abuse. Others see it for what it is. Aaron sometimes had moments where he knew he could easily cross the line with Spencer, but he also knew that if he ever did, if he ever hurt Spencer in a way that made him fear, Spencer was strong enough to leave him. Jackson would also intervene and leave with his lover and only come back to him if he promised to get help. Aaron knew, though, as damaged as he was he could never hurt either of his lovers in that way.

Turning around onto his back Aaron looked up at the ceiling and let his mind wander. He wondered why he was in this contemplative mood. Maybe it was all the changes that were happening around him and the changes that Aaron was working on for himself and his family. He supposed that most of these changes were caused by the switch, and when he got his Spencer back.

Aaron stood and pulled out the box he had hidden away with the collars and jewelry he had gifted to the other Spencer. He sat with the box, and a part of him wondered if that Spencer had found what he was looking for. If Spencer had confronted his Aaron about how he felt and what he wanted for his life. Aaron knew that by now the other Spencer would have noticed the empty space on his back that Aaron just couldn’t bring himself to complete. It wasn’t for him it was for the other Aaron, or whomever Spencer ended up with. He knew he had been changed by his lover’s doppelganger. Aaron found he wasn’t as rigid, he had become more flexible, and maybe just a tad more trusting. For those few months, Aaron had, in his way, become a better person.

A part of him would always care for the man that switched places with his lover, but he had let him go. These were just souvenirs, things he would find himself contemplating on from time to time. Putting them away, he looked up and sent up a little wish that Spencer found his happiness, whatever form it would take.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Jackson had slipped up behind Aaron and wrapped his arms around him.

“I’m not a good man, and I know it. I’ve done good things because, in the end, it benefitted me. The other Spencer, he made me try to be a better man. I know some things changed, I’m still trying to understand what. I don’t think I could ever be the man that the other Aaron obviously is, honorable, caring, and all that. But, there is a part of me that wants to do something for everyone because it’s the right thing. What the fuck?”

Jackson laughed as he placed a kiss on Aaron’s shoulder, then turned him around.

“I’ve never had blinders on, Aaron. I know who you are and yes, you have changed. But, these are good changes. I know you’ll never be like this other version of you, and I know you will do whatever it is you want, and you’ll get what you want by any means necessary. Doesn’t mean you still can’t do good things.”

“You’re too good for me, Jax.”

Jackson patted Aaron’s arm as he pulled away.

“You know I have my moments. But, I think without each other, we would be very different people. Now, what is on the agenda for today?”

Aaron smiled wickedly as he wrapped his hands around Jackson’s hips and pulled him close.

“I can think of a few things. I have a couple of people that I need to have...discussions with. Do you want to come with me? Old times sake?” Aaron’s grin held just a touch of malice. It felt good to be himself around Jackson. For a while, he had tried not to bring too much of that around his lover. He had lost sight of the fact that Jackson did know who and what he was. The early days of getting Grimes Tech and even MH Enterprises up and running were fraught with moments of greed, murder and a bit of mayhem.

“And what is it we would be doing?”

“Divesting ourselves of certain side businesses. Cleaning up the books and possibly making one or two people the fall guys.”

Jackson leaned in and kissed Aaron.

“Don’t you want Spencer to deal with that kind of stuff?’

“Oh, these are special. Ones only you and I know of. Things I’ve not exactly kept hidden from Spencer, but things he didn’t need to be involved in.”

“Well, then this sounds deliciously fun.”

* * *

The deed was done, the evidence planted and Aaron stood looking around at the carnage, both human and object. A well placed anonymous call and both Jackson and Aaron were now out of the gun trade. There was a little bittersweet nostalgia as this had been one of the first endeavors for them both.

“You played them well. I don’t know how you do it, but they destroyed each other just like you predicted. And with this evidence, a third faction will go down.”

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Aaron turned around and started to leave, planting the accounting books and other evidence as he went. He, of course, used gloves, and his shoes were covered so as not to leave any shoe prints behind. Once outside Aaron made an anonymous call to 911 stating he had heard gunfire. Aaron used a handkerchief over the phone to somewhat disguise his voice. The first deed of the day done, Aaron didn’t even stop the smile as he and Jackson walked the mile back to their car. They had another appointment and didn’t want to keep their party waiting.

“Do we really have to get rid of the casino?” Jackson pouted as he and Aaron stood outside of the Cat’s Meow Tavern. The bar was a throwback to upscale bars from the fifties. In the back, however, was a multi-million dollar casino that the police have never been able to find. The main reason was unlike others that have been caught, Aaron never put guards on the door. You needed a secret code for the door panel as well as a specially made key. Anyone who had those two things, if they talked, would end up in jail themselves. Of course, it helped that many very wealthy and well-known Senators, Congressmen, and lawyers could often be found playing several hands of poker, or blackjack while their wives played the slot machines, or husbands tried their hand at roulette or pai gow.

“Yes, Jax. But, we both know that Carson will be reasonable. He will get 100% of the business for an excellent rate. If he isn’t reasonable, Wilson Ford has been making inquiries.”

“Alright, let’s get this over with.” Jackson straightened his suit, and the two of them entered the casino and went straight to their office. Once there Aaron called Carson Douglas in to talk.

“Carson, it’s good to see you. Jackson and I have been going over the books, and the business looks like it’s doing very well. We have an offer. We want to sell. A one time ten million dollar payment and the business will be yours.”

Carson leaned back in his seat and looked between the two men.

“Why? Why do you want to sell now?”

“Because being a family man, and certain decisions I will be making shortly has me wanting to go...let’s just say I want to be more transparent and I can’t be with certain businesses under the umbrella of MH Enterprises.”

“Ten million is a lot of money.”

“And we both know you have that in spades. We pay you a very generous salary, Carson. This is a one-time offer. If you don’t want it, we have another buyer who is very interested. You may very well know him? Wilson Ford?”

Carson’s eyes almost bulged out of his head as he leaned forward.

“You can’t mean that. If he takes this place…”

“He’ll kill you. Yes, we are very aware of that. That is why you get the offer first.”

Carson took a deep breath and nodded. Taking his wallet out he handed Aaron a bitcoin card.

“Take that. It’s got a little over twelve on it. Take it all.”

Aaron lifted a brow as he slipped the bitcoin card into a credit card reader he had installed on the computer in his office. Carson was telling the truth, twelve million three hundred thousand dollars. Aaron transferred the money into a shell account offshore. Once he and Jackson were all done, they would close all offshore accounts and pull the cash to disperse it among the business, personal, investments and possibly buy some artwork or other legitimate business endeavors. They would have to be careful because a sudden influx of cash would be suspicious.

“Thank you, and here is the deed. It’s already signed and notarized in anticipation of your acceptance. We will be taking our copies of the current books, but leave you with your copies. And Carson, we expect your discretion.”

“Aaron, you gave me my start. Pulled me out of the gutter when I thought I had lost everything. You and Jackson have been nothing but good to me. I promise this place is too important to me.”

“Good. It’s been nice working with you, Carson.” Aaron and Jackson packed up whatever personal items they had around the office. Cleaned up all surfaces, grabbed their copies of the accounting books and left. They knew Carson wouldn’t talk, and neither would Justine Collins, their next stop.

“Justine, how are you darling?” Aaron asked in his most charming voice.

“Fabulous?”

“And how is everyone in the house doing?”

“Aaron, you know my girls and boys are just fine. They love working here. We just had our round of testing, and all is good. They adhere to the rules, and no one is complaining.”

“Good. We have a proposition for you.”

“If I didn’t know you were queer, I’d take that a completely different way.” Justine smiled charmingly, and Aaron just laughed as he took her arm and was led down to her office.

“Now, did you want a peek at the books?”

“No. We want to offer you a chance to buy us out. House, business and all. I know you’ve asked us on several occasions. We find that this is a good time for us to become more transparent.”

Justine leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs. She studied the two men for a moment and smiled.

“I’ve been putting money aside in anticipation of the day that you finally wanted to sell. How much? 15? 20? I know what this business is worth and I’m willing to pay it. I’ve invested well and saved on the side. I’ve got the money boys. You just tell me the number.”

Aaron always liked Justine's straightforward approach when it came to the business.

“On several conditions. You keep the rules the same. A clean well kept environment. Everyone has the freedom to come and go as they please. Schedules, these are people, not workhorses. No underage, no drugs, everyone uses protection one-hundred percent of the time. Healthcare and benefits. Salary and they all keep their tips.”

“Of course. It’s why I haven’t left, Aaron. Those rules are my rules as well. I wanted to talk about implementing contracts. With all of the rules spelled out. Anyone can terminate the contract at any time, with no repercussions.”

“Good, we are on the same page. You’ve made a lot of money for us, Justine and we talked it over. You can have everything for five million.”

“Aaron! That is way too generous. You know how much this place makes and what this property is worth.”

“Yes, we do, Justine. Aaron isn’t kidding. You have done an amazing job here, and your discretion is top notch. Five million, not a penny more and you get the deed to the property as well as the business.”

Justine looked stunned, and Aaron knew this was a big thing for her. She had started out in the brothel just after she turned nineteen. It was her business acumen that turned the place around. A combination hotel/bar/restaurant was the front of the business. All of the workers took a turn as servers, cooks, and bartenders. Keeping a legitimate face, but it was the brothel part that brought in the big bucks. It also amused all of them that diners and bar-goers had no idea what it was their servers and cooks did in the off-limits areas of the hotel. It also threw off the police as no one had any complaints or evidence that anything other than a favorite upscale restaurant and hotel went on.

“All right. All right I agree.”

“Good, here is the deed in your name. Restaurant, bar, hotel, everything is yours.”

Justine took out her checkbook and wrote out the check and handed it to Aaron.

“I won’t disappoint you, Aaron, Jackson. You gave me a life I can be proud of. Did you know I have a waiting list of people that want to work here?”

“No, I didn’t know that. And I know you will be good to them. But, we won’t be strangers. Can’t give up the excellent gumbo you serve.”

Justine laughed and escorted the two men out. She thanked them again, and Aaron and Jackson went to their car, only one more appointment and they would be done. Divesting themselves of the illegal fireworks company was going to be a bit trickier, but there were buyers from China that wanted to take over and frankly, though it had been fun at first, both Aaron and Jackson were tired of dealing with the feud between the Triad and the Tong. This was one business neither man was sad to see go. It was a youthful endeavor, but they were no longer that young. Getting rid of it felt freeing.

Getting home, Aaron and Jackson felt like they had accomplished something, now the tricky part of handling the money over the next few months. Aaron had some ideas, which he would discuss with Spencer and Jackson. But in the meantime, it was family time, and Aaron was more than okay with that.

* * *

“Now, Aaron remember you are trying to charm the pants off the family rights groups. I know you can pull out all the charm in the world when you want.” Neal fixed Aaron’s tie and gave him a once over.

“I know how to give an interview, Neal.”

“I know you do. This is different. You are neck and neck in the polls with your opponent. While you have quite the following, you need that extra push to edge you out over the incumbent.”

“Neal, can I say that I have very thoroughly enjoyed you being on my team.”

“Well, the way you turned it all around and made me a kind of hero, instead of the thief and criminal that I once was, endeared you to a lot of people. Thank you, I mean it.” Neal squeezed his shoulder then moved off and went to check on Spencer.

“Are you ready for this?”

“Neal, I’ve been in front of the press more times than I care to remember. I’ll be fine.”

“And you are adamant about wearing…” Neal made a motion over his neck and when all Spencer did was grin an almost sharklike grin he put his hands up and backed off.

“I don’t take it off for anyone.”

“You know they are going to ask.”

“And you know we are ready for it.”

Jackson stood watching and leaned against the wall where the cameras didn’t look towards. They were still all undecided if he was going to be part of this interview or not. One of the last ones before the final push to the polls.

Aaron had done well. Neal and Peter had done a fantastic job with the campaign. Peter’s fundraising skills were surprising, but Neal’s charm as campaign manager was precisely what they had needed. Now the hardest part, getting those who are particularly resistant on their side.

Spencer didn’t even have to do anything illegal. The whole campaign was running above board. Aaron made it very clear that he wanted a clean operation. He didn’t even attack his opponent, and after the first set of commercials hit, people responded. His approval rating and support went up by almost ten percent after the first wave. The more his opponent attacked and the more he didn’t respond in kind, the better his approval ratings got. It was a good strategy overall.

“Mr. Hotchner.” Jackson looked up to see the interviewer, Amanda Burke, approaching. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, Miss Burke, I am very ready.”

“You’re campaign manager didn’t send any kind of list for questions or topics that were off the table.”

“That’s because I am an open book, Miss Burke, and so is Spencer. We want to be honest. If there is anything you bring up that is too sensitive, or too difficult, I’m sure we’ll let you know.”

“Good. Come on, and we’ll get you outfitted for a mic and make final preparations.”

Aaron moved over to Spencer and leaned in for a kiss.

“You ready?”

“Aaron, we’ve done these things how many times before?”

“This is different, Pet. You know we didn’t nix any topics or questions. I just want you to be open and honest. Be that charming person I know you can be.”

Spencer smiled and took Aaron’s hand. They moved to the central area where they were directed to a place to sit, and mics were attached to each man. They looked back and smiled at Jackson who smiled at them and blew each a kiss for good luck. Neal and Peter were beside them with Neal looking a little nervous.

“Ready, Mr. Hotchner, Dr. Reid?”

“Anytime you are, Miss Burke.”

Amanda made the motion to get the cameras rolling. She eased the two men along a series of simple, almost innocuous questions. Aaron and Spencer answered with smiles and charm. They held hands, glanced lovingly at each other and in a way they had control of the interview. The subtle manipulation, even when the harder questions hit.

“So, Mr. Hotchner you had been investigated by the FBI in the early part of the year for possible fraud claims when it came to your court cases. You have an unprecedented 90 percent success rate in getting your clients off. Can you explain your success?”

“Miss Burke, I can assure you that my office is clean of any impropriety when it comes to cases. I always run a clean trial. The particular agent in question had a personal vendetta against me. When other agents combed through my records, they cleared me of any possible charges.”

Aaron smiled and patiently waited.

“And that agent is dead, Mr. Hotchner. Can you explain how that happened and why?”

“I’ll explain it.” Spencer leaned forward and put his best thoughtful expression on before he recounted the harrowing experience of his doppelganger in protecting his son. It was fortunate that the other Spencer had kept such detailed accounts, Spencer could talk about it like he had been there. “When I shot him it wasn’t out of malice or anger at the way he was going after Aaron. It was purely for the protection of my son, Jack. You’re a mother, Miss Burke, wouldn’t you do absolutely anything for your child? Especially if they are in mortal danger?”

“That must have been horrifying for you, Dr. Reid. I can’t even imagine the terror you must have felt.”

“In all honesty, I didn’t feel it till after Foyet was dead. Then, there was Jack rushing into my arms and Aaron with our security team coming in, and it hit me then that either one of us could have died. It was a very profound experience.”

“Is that what prompted you to adopt?”

Spencer sat back and smiled wide and let his eyes get dreamy and soft.

“It's one reason. Aaron and I had talked about adoption on and off over the years. And when the opportunity presented itself, we just couldn’t help it. All three of them are the light of my life, Miss Burke.”

“They must be incredibly lucky children.” Amanda smiled and shuffled some papers on her lap. “Which begs the question of your particular lifestyle and children in the house. How do you reconcile your rather public Dom/sub image to that of family men?”

“Everyone has different sides to them, Amanda. When we are with our children, either at home watching tv, playing games, reading, whatever, we give every ounce of our attention to them. When it comes to our sex life, we have stringent rules. There are areas of the house where the kids know they are not allowed to go into. We don’t expose them to that side of our life. If they have questions, we answer honestly, and in a way, they can understand.” Aaron gave Amanda his best smile, with just a touch of emotion in his eyes.

“But some of the family rights groups and the religious groups believe that a hedonistic lifestyle such as yours is opposite of family values. How do you respond to such criticism?”

Spencer held Aaron’s hand tighter and looked right at the camera.

“We don’t parade our lifestyle around the children. We aren’t doing the things that some of these groups have accused us of. Neither Aaron, myself or Jackson would hurt them in any way. To even believe the things our opposition says about us makes me wonder how sick you have to be to believe those kinds of rumors. I have always fought for the rights of women and children, why would I turn around and hurt my own. It makes no sense. And it appalls me that anybody would think like that.”

“Keeping the two sides of your life separate must take work.”

“No more or no less than any other family. We are just more open and honest about who we are. I think if more people were able, to be honest about who they were, maybe we would have less violence in the world.”

“A noble thought, for sure.” Amanda smiled and went through some more difficult questions. Both Aaron and Spencer answered honestly and charmingly. When it looked like the interview was going to wrap up, Aaron sat up even more and smiled.

“Do you have any last words before we say goodnight to our viewers?”

“Yes, Amanda, I do.” Aaron pulled something out of his pocket and had Spencer frowning. When he stood then got down on his knee, Spencer’s eyes almost bugged out of his head, and real emotion swam in them.

“Dr. Spencer Matthew Reid, for the last ten almost eleven years you have been my partner, my lover, my everything. I love you more than you can ever understand. You’ve been a rock, and so patient through this whole new endeavor. I thought that this would be the perfect time to ask you that all-important question.” Aaron opened up the box and in it sat a platinum and sapphire engagement ring. The tears in Spencer’s eyes were very, very real. “Will you, Spencer Reid, agree to become my husband?”

Spencer slid off the couch and flung himself around Aaron.

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” The kiss they shared would go down in television history as one of the top most romantic kisses of all time. When Spencer pulled back, Aaron put the ring on his finger and gently wiped the tears away. Smiling he leaned forward and kissed just under each eye as Spencer got his emotions under control.

After a moment they settled back on the couch, and it was worth it for the stunned look on Amanda Burke’s face.

“Well, folks there you have it. DC’s golden couple are finally going to tie the knot. And on that note, I hope you all have an excellent evening.” Amanda sat there, and Aaron could tell she was trying to get herself together from being so blindsided. “And that is a wrap. Well, I can’t say that any of my interviews ended in a proposal.”

“Thank you, Amanda, for indulging me.”

“Oh, thank you for the ratings that are going to come from that.” Amanda laughed as she stood. They said their final goodbyes and Aaron ushered himself, Spencer and Jackson, out of the studio. He wanted to get home and do very kinky things to his fiance.

* * *

“How does it feel, Senator Hotchner,” Jackson asked as he wrapped an arm around Aaron and kissed him.

“Oh, Jax. We are going to do great things.”

“And if I know you, you’ll make all your wishes come true.”

“I want to. I want better for our children. I want better for other people’s children. I know it’s going to be a battle.”

“Which you will win more than you will lose.”

“It will be a game of picking what is important.”

“I’m going to go make nice.”

Aaron chuckled at his lover as he worked the room. Aaron knew he should feel more, feel something, but the emotions of the night were eluding him. When Spencer tucked up next to him, Aaron felt like he could finally breathe.

“I had no doubt you would win.”

“And we did it without cheating. That certainly is a new one for me.”

“And I’m here to make sure you keep everything you’ve worked for. So, now what are we going to do, Senator.” Spencer wrapped around Aaron as he stood looking around at the party that was going on in campaign headquarters. Press interviews had been given, champagne drunk, cheers and congratulations given. Spencer wanted to go home and have Aaron to himself before the business of Washington DC came crashing into their lives.

“I think we can safely leave without raising too much suspicion. Tell me, Pet, what do you want?”

“Whatever you want, Sir.” Spencer dipped his head down and kissed Aaron’s neck. “Hurt me, fuck me, tease me, make me scream, keep me on edge, I don’t care, just need you.”

Aaron pulled Spencer away from him and looked the man in his eyes.

“If I were a lesser man, there are things I would do to you that would make you want to leave me. I dream such dreams, Pet. But, I would never do them because I never want you to leave me, but don’t ever give me such carte blanche because one day I may lose control and take you places that would scare you.”

Spencer breathed normal, but when he looked into Aaron’s eyes, he could see something there that made him shiver just a bit in fear. But, it was that very knife edge they lived on that made Spencer want more from Aaron. He wanted to be used, to be owned, and Aaron was the only one who could push his boundaries. Jackson would never make these promises because he could never turn that dark, Spencer knew Aaron could. He knew that sometimes they played a dangerous game, and it thrilled Spencer each time.

“I trust you,” Spencer whispered in Aaron’s ear.

“Yes, you do, and it is intoxicating.” Aaron murmured before taking Spencer’s mouth in a searing, claiming kiss right there for anyone to see. “Let’s go home.”

After gathering Jackson, the three men piled into the limo, Aaron raised the partition between the driver and the three of them. It was going to be a little bit of a drive because the campaign headquarters was in the heart of DC.

“Strip naked,” Aaron commanded, and Spencer quickly complied. Getting on his knees, Spencer waited patiently as they sped along home. “Come here and take my cock in your mouth.” Spencer didn’t hesitate as he moved forward. Aaron had only taken his cock out of his pants, he was still fully dressed. Leaning down he wrapped his mouth around the hard length and moaned in pleasure as a hand gripped his hair and pushed him roughly down on the cock in his mouth.

“Fuck,” Aaron growled as he gripped Spencer’s head with both hands. Spencer knew what Aaron wanted immediately. He went pliant as those hands directed his movements. He heard more than saw Jackson moving to the seat right behind him. When the plug in his ass started to move Spencer jerked slightly at the spike in pleasure.

All night the two men had been subtly playing with him. It started before they even left the house when Jackson had plugged him, and caged him. Spencer wasn’t sure where the bag that Jackson had stashed in the private bathroom at headquarters had come from, but every couple of hours, either Aaron or Jackson would take him there and changed the plug for a larger one each time. At the moment he had the largest one from their collection and Jackson’s foot was playing with it driving Spencer mad.

“Pet, if you make me come before we get home, we will have a surprise for you. Something we haven’t done for a while. But, if I don’t, you’ll have to wait for another time.”

Spencer was only half-listening as the cock slid in and out of his mouth, his body succumbing to the pleasure as he let himself slip deep into his submission. Spencer felt the hands leave his face and although Aaron grabbed his hair once again, he was allowing Spencer do what he wanted. Doubling his efforts, Spencer let the cock slip all the way to the back of his throat where the head slid down. He heard Aaron’s panting as he fumbled to open his trousers even more.

“Fuck, your mouth. You were always good at this my Pet, but since your return, I swear you’ve become even better. Sometimes I just want to do this all night.”

Spencer could picture it in his head, Aaron using him over and over, not touching any other part of him, then when he came, it would be Jackson’s turn. Spencer shivered at the thought and knew it was something they would talk about later. Fingers wrapped around his throat as the cock pushed down even more. Spencer swallowed several times, and that action was the trigger for Aaron to come.

“That was so perfect, Pet.” Aaron sounded wrecked. Spencer looked up and saw a look of bliss on his Sir’s face. His body hummed in anticipation of the what was to come for the rest of the night.

“When we get home, you are not to dress. Go right to the playroom and wait for us, do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good. Now, sit on Jackson’s lap and let me look at you.” Spencer awkwardly moved in the car till he was sitting on Jackson’s lap. Hands gripped his thighs and spread him wide as he laid back against Jackson. “You are perfection, Pet. Look at you willing to do whatever we want to you. You tremble anticipating whatever it is we have in store. I couldn’t have ever asked for a more perfect lover, partner, my everything.” Aaron leaned forward and ran his hands over Spencer’s legs, then his thighs and finally across his exposed balls. All the while, Jackson was playing with his sensitive nipples, touching him everywhere. His very nerves were on fire, and he looked to see that Jackson had some new kind of glove. The fabric was stiff, and when the hand slowly moved over his skin, there was a pricking sensation. It wasn’t enough to mar his flesh, but it was enough to make his very nerves sensitive to touch.

“I had this specially made.” Jackson nipped at Spencer’s ear while Aaron was down on his knees mouthing at his balls that were tucked against his body from the cage. Fingers pressed on the plug moving it around to stimulate Spencer even more. He cried out as his body trembled. The sensations were almost too much. Jackson moved the glove over his stomach and started to go lower. “It’s a type of rope, Jute it's called, and if used just right the ends can become sharp. Not enough to cut, but just enough to make you sensitive, it’s a different kind of pain sensation. Feel it, Spencer,” Aaron unsnapped the cage and pulled it off, and Jackson grabbed the rapidly filling cock with the gloved hand and squeezed enough to make Spencer scream. Aaron had pulled a bottle of lube out of a little-hidden storage pocket and poured some over Spencer’s cock.

“We’re almost home,” Jackson whispered in Spencer’s ear as he slowly moved the gloved hand over the sensitive flesh. Spencer was both trying to get away but wanted more at the same time. This was almost too much as the men he called Dom played with him till the limo was parked in the garage. Quietly the limo driver left them without interrupting them.

“I’m going to let you go, Petite.” Jackson pulled his hand away, and Spencer whined as everything stopped all at once.

“Come on, let’s get you out of the car.” Aaron had slipped a pair of slippers on Spencer’s feet so he wouldn’t get them dirty. Spencer realized that all of these things had been in the bag that Jackson had at the party. Slowly he slid off Jackson’s lap and took a few breaths to regain a sense of himself. Finally, he was able to leave the limo. Following orders, he went straight to the playroom and waited. Spencer wasn’t sure how long he remained standing in the middle of the playroom as he closed his eyes and felt the sensations in his body. He had no sense of how much time passed till a hand was on his shoulder, bringing him back to the present.

“Lean over the bed and spread your legs.”

Spencer wondered what was going on, but did as Aaron told him to. After a moment he felt fingers gently pulling the plug, and he moaned as it was slowly pulled out.

“God, look at you, your hole stretched, your body ready for anything.” Spencer felt something wet clean him up, then a tongue thrust deep inside of him. He cried out and gripped the bedspread under his hands as Aaron proceeded to spend a few minutes eating him out. If it hadn’t been for the gradual stretching from the plugs, Aaron wouldn’t have been able to this.

“Sir!” Spencer cried out as he bucked against the bed, his cock ached, but he knew he wasn’t going to be allowed to come, not yet anyway, possibly not for a very long time. The tongue inside of him was driving him mad. “Please, Sir,” Spencer begged even though it would do no good. Just when he was on the edge of too much, Aaron pulled away and a moment later fresh lube was being pressed inside of him.

“I need you to take a deep breath, Pet, okay?”

“Yes, Sir.” Spencer took a deep breath; then something was being pushed inside of him. It was another plug, but this one was much bigger than what he was used to. As it pushed in, he slowly let his breath go and tried to relax at the stretch and burn of the intrusion. When it was fully seated inside him, he pushed the rest of the air in his lungs out and slowly breathed.

“Stand and go to the frame.” Spencer stood, and his knees almost buckled as the plug pressed against his prostate. He took a moment to get himself under control then crossed the room to the frame that was in the middle. It only took a moment to secure him, and when he finally looked up, he saw that both Aaron and Jackson were naked.

Aaron was in front of him, with a hard grip on his chin.

“We are going to push you past your limits. I want you to fall apart, scream, beg, cry. I want to see you tremble, and your eyes roll back in your head. If you need to orgasm you can, but you cannot ejaculate, do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Look at you, already making a mess.” Spencer looked down and saw that he was leaking pre-come all over the floor. “Jax, why don’t you clean Spencer up while I finish getting things ready.”

“Of course.” Jackson moved around in front of Spencer, dropped to his knees and took Spencer’s very red, very hard cock in his mouth and licked and sucked all of the leaking fluid from him. Spencer was so lost in what Jackson was doing he almost didn’t feel the first hit from the riding crop. Aaron worked him over as Jackson kept his cock in his mouth, Jackson's tongue played with the Prince Albert and before long Spencer was trembling. All it would take was a harder instrument, which he got from the cane. Spencer screamed as his body convulsed in orgasm, but he didn’t ejaculate. Jackson moved away as Aaron worked Spencer over with the cane, pushing the limit of what Spencer could take.

Jackson and Aaron worked together to pull the screams from Spencer that they both wanted. He was plied with water, wiped down with a cool cloth, and given a moment of rest after his second dry orgasm. He was leaking even more now. More than what was typical for him and he was almost at his limits. Aaron this time was on his knees, sucking him off, moaning at the taste of the fluids Spencer was leaking faster and faster. Spencer was trembling so hard trying to keep himself from ejaculating. Just when he thought he was going to disobey, Aaron pulled off, stood up and kissed him, passionately and almost to the breaking point.

“Come on, Petite, we are going over to the bed.” Jackson helped him off the frame and led him to the large bed in the room. Aaron joined them after Spencer was chained down, arms stretched above him, legs out to the sides with ankles attached to thigh cuffs, then the chain pulled taut enough that he was opened wide.

“God, Spencer. We could do this all night and still not get enough.” Aaron leaned down and kissed him, making Spencer moan into the kiss. Pulling back, Aaron held up a kit and smiled.

“You remember what this is?” Aaron asked Spencer.

Eyes wide, his cock twitched as it looked impossibly hard.

“Yes,” Spencer was breathless as his eyes latched onto the pouch.

“We are going to play. Do you want that, Spencer? Do you want us to play?”

“Yes.” The whine and the thrusting of hips gave Aaron his answer. Jackson handed Aaron the sterile lube then he opened up the pouch and with a gloved hand handed Aaron the first sounding instrument.

“We are going to take this slow because we haven’t done it for a while, but that was why we wanted to push you so hard, I knew your body would be relaxed and ready for whatever we wanted.”

Aaron put the tip of the sound right at Spencer’s slit, then slowly he pushed the sound down. Spencer groaned at the feeling, and his head fell back against the pillow. He let himself feel every inch as the metal slipped farther down inside of him. Aaron pulled it up, then pushed it back down again. He went a little further each time, moving it around to begin the slow stretch of his urethra. Spencer wanted more, and he begged for it.

“So pretty when you beg, Petite.”

The sound was pulled out and set down on a towel that had been laid out to the side. Jackson then handed Aaron the next size which Aaron went a little faster this time. Spencer felt the plug being played with, stimulating his prostate from the outside, while the deep penetration of the sound aroused him from the inside. Spencer knew he couldn’t move that he had to be careful and that was one reason he was chained up like he was.

“Sir!” Spencer screamed because he felt like he was at his limit. He felt the orgasm building. “Please, need to come.” Spencer was on the verge of tears. Something that had not happened in quite a long time.

“Shh, Pet. Calm yourself we are far from through.”

Carefully Aaron used each sound to the fullest effect. Spencer felt stretched to the point where he just might actually break and come before being told he could. Aaron took the largest sound that he had used on Spencer out of him, then carefully unhooked him from the cuffs.

“We have so much more we want to do to you. I’m going to plug you, then we shall continue.”

Aaron took a different kind of sound from the kit. This particular one was new. When he pushed it inside Spencer, he almost bucked at the sensation. When Aaron had it all the way in, there was a chain on the ring at the top that hooked to the ring that slipped over the glans and settled around the corona of his penis, then a clip that dangled off the chain could be attached to Spencer’s Prince Albert. He now had a full ring instead of a bar.

“How are feeling, Spencer?”

“It’s, intense. Full. Fuck.” Spencer gripped the chain that was still wrapped around his wrists.

“Do you want to continue?”

“Yes, yes, Sir, please.” Spencer practically whined as Aaron and Jackson touched him, keeping him grounded. They helped him sit up, then Jackson was lying down on the bed.

“Spencer, you are going to stay facing me as you move to straddle Jackson’s waist. Then lay back and lift your legs.”

Spencer was helped into the position Aaron told him to get into. Once he was balanced on Jackson, Aaron pulled the plug out and set it aside. Grabbing the regular bottle of lube, Aaron slicked up Jackson’s cock.

“Ease yourself onto Jackson. That’s it, Pet. Fuck you look so wanton like this. Open, exposed, body pierced and chained because I ask it of you.”

Spencer near screamed again as Jackson eased his cock inside Spencer’s now very stretched hole. Slowly, keeping his arms wrapped around Spencer in a tight hold, Jackson slowly stroked his cock in and out while Aaron watched, stroking his own cock. Grabbing the lube, Spencer watched as Aaron generously slicked up his cock, then scooted forward those few inches and pushed his cock inside Spencer.

“Fuck!” Spencer bowed his back as Aaron laid a hand on his stomach holding him right where he was.

“Oh, yes, Pet. So tight. Fuck I love you, you are everything to me, Pet.” Aaron stroked inside stimulating both Jackson and Spencer. Wrapping a hand around Spencer’s cock, Aaron was careful in how he jacked Spencer off. The movement of his hand and his cock was enough to make the sound stimulate Spencer from the inside. He felt the orgasm building more and more as the dual stimulation was pushing him past the limit he didn’t even know he had. With the way Jackson was holding him, Spencer had no place to put his hands other than wrapping them around Jackson’s. He clenched the arms holding him as he was fucked inside and out.

“Please, pleasepleaseplease, Sir, I, I, I can’t. I can’t...Need to cum, please.” Spencer was begging and crying the pleasure was so intense that his whole body felt the stimulation. Spencer was so sensitive all over that each touch from Aaron was driving him mad. It was on the verge of being painful with no pleasure. But, he wasn't even tempted to safeword out. Spencer wanted it all.

Aaron growled as he pulled out and furiously jacked himself off till he was coming all over Spencer’s groin, marking him, and Jackson at the same time. Jackson fucked into Spencer a few times, as Aaron unhooked the plug and pulled it out. As soon as Aaron did, Spencer couldn’t even stop the orgasm if he wanted to. Spencer came so hard he spilled all over his stomach, and some also got on Jackson’s arms and chest. But, Spencer didn’t even see it as he had passed out almost immediately.

Together, Aaron and Jackson carried Spencer into the bathroom and into the tub. Spencer had not even realized that he had been moved twice. He felt clean, as did the sheets under him. Spencer cracked an eye open because he heard grunting and muffled screams against a pillow. His body tried to respond to the scene right next to him, but Spencer didn’t think he would be able to get it up again for a while. It didn’t stop him from appreciating the sight before him. Aaron was face down and pressed into the bed, Jackson was behind him, fucking him hard and fast. The only part of Aaron that was sticking up was his ass, which was being held up by Jackson who had his feet planted on the bed and fucking Aaron from a half-standing position. It was hot. Spencer moved over and kissed Aaron, who greedily returned the kisses. Swallowing the screams and cries from Aaron, Spencer looked with just his eyes as Jackson worked himself in and out of Aaron. Finally, on a moan, Jackson pulled out and came hard all over Aaron’s ass cheeks.

Jackson collapsed, but not before grabbing a wet waiting cloth and cleaning off Aaron then himself.

“Shit, you two are so hot.”

Aaron smiled, and he pulled Spencer to him.

“Turn around, so I can hold you close.” Spencer turned around and was immediately pulled into Aaron’s body, his arm tightly banded around his waist. A hand moved down and cupped him, making him shudder. He was leaking, and he would be for a little while. Aaron’s deft hands and warm body around him had Spencer trembling as a tiny orgasm was pulled from him. He knew Aaron wanted to play with him. Cock torture was his favorite thing when he was in this mood. Spencer knew it was going to be a long night, and he wouldn’t want it any other way.

Spencer was awakened every couple of hours, and either Aaron would play, or Jackson would. In the throes of one particular release, Spencer thought about his life, and how things had changed since getting back almost a year prior. The accident no longer gave him nightmares. He knew he was safe. He had two men he loved more than anything in the world and children that were the light of his life. He knew who he was, sub, father, partner, psychopath. Spencer made no excuses for the things he did. Spencer did them because he wanted to because he enjoyed it. He liked, no that wasn’t right, he loved his life and not even the wedding to come, or the changes with being a Senator's husband could make him be less than he was. Dr. Spencer Reid, the man who gives body, heart, and soul to two men that make him love being who he was. Spencer would cherish every day and delight in every single thing his Dom’s wanted from him. They each had saved him in their way, and Spencer would be forever grateful.

# Our World

Lazy Saturdays were lazy for a reason. Spencer opened his eyes but didn't move. Aaron was wrapped around him, his very hard cock nestled up against Spencer's ass and leg thrown over Spencer's. The shock though was when Spencer had to stretch, and he found that the chain wasn't connected to his cuffs. No, Aaron had unhooked him at some point in the night and had instead linked the cuffs together and was using his hand as a way to keep Spencer where he wanted him. Aaron's other hand was wrapped around Spencer's stomach. Spencer sighed in contentment and closed his eyes again. He worked his muscles through clenching and releasing until he was satisfied enough that it would do him just fine until Aaron was awake and allowed him his morning ritual.

Spencer knew that if he really needed up, like to use the bathroom, Aaron would let him up but Spencer didn't want to move. Spencer looked out the bedroom window, staring at the limbs of the trees swaying in the breeze. The house had been perfect for them since they had moved in. For Spencer, it was nice because there was a bathroom on the first floor so once he was downstairs for the day he hadn't had to go back up until night. Aaron had made sure that Spencer knew that he wasn't to try the steps alone for a while and that part of Spencer that typically would have balked at that command was silent. He had already caused Aaron so much pain from something he couldn't control that Spencer wasn't going to cause it over something he could. Especially over not going up the stairs.

Aaron's hand moved, shifting until his fingers were tracing the newest scar on Spencer's body. Aaron had made sure that it was as small and invisible as possible but both of them knew exactly where it was. For the first two weeks that Spencer had been home, Aaron had slept with his hand over the injured spot.

"Good morning, love," Aaron whispered into the skin of Spencer's neck before he moved. His hand that was holding the cuffs shifted them up a clink was heard by Spencer. Spencer tugged on his and found them held fast.

"Good morning," Spencer said back, just as soft. Aaron's hand trailed down Spencer's arm, across his side before his other and pulled Spencer back just a little farther into him. Spencer gasped as that pressure had his cheeks parting and he could feel the heat of Aaron's cock pressing into his hole. Spencer couldn't hold in that moan from the feel.

"On your stomach." Aaron nipped at Spencer's skin, biting hard enough to leave a mark just above his collar. Spencer rolled onto his stomach, burying his head in his pillow as he felt Aaron straddle his thighs. His cheeks were held apart, and a drop of cold lube landed on his hole. Before Spencer could even process the feeling of cold, Aaron's cock was pressing into him. Aaron grabbed Spencer's hair to tip his head up to where he could hear the moan that Spencer let out at being breached.

Aaron fucked Spencer long and slow, bringing him to a gentle orgasm that tipped Aaron over as well. Aaron slumped over Spencer, burying his face into where shoulder and neck met, inhaling deep. Last night was the first time that Spencer and Aaron had used their room in the basement for what it was built for. He had been cleared to return to full normal activity, and Aaron had worked him over hard. Gentle kisses rained down Spencer's back, kissing everywhere Spencer knew Aaron had left welts the night before.

"Go shower. I'll get us coffee, and then I'll shower."

"You aren't going to join me?" Spencer asked as his hands were released from the cuffs. He rolled over in Aaron's arms, leaning up for a kiss which Aaron gave him with no hesitation. When Spencer moved to wrap his hands around Aaron's neck and hold him in place for the kiss, Aaron grabbed his hands and pressed them down into the bed. Aaron pulled out of the kiss a minute later, staring down at Spencer.

"We have an appointment after breakfast, and we need to have time to drop Jack off at Jessica's."

"What kind of appointment can we not take Jack to on the weekend?" Spencer missed seeing Jack as much as he did when he was on medical leave and adjusting to being back to work, even just going into the office and not being allowed on cases was hard for him. He had hoped to spend all day with Jack.

"A secret kind. Don't worry, Spencer. You are going to enjoy it, thoroughly."

Spencer swallowed at the look of lust on Aaron's face. He tried to figure out what Aaron had planned. Thinking over anything that Aaron had mentioned offhand over the past few weeks but there was nothing. Aaron let go of Spencer's hands and pushed himself up and then got off the bed. Spencer made himself move. He watched Aaron leave the bedroom with his robe on before Spencer moved to take his shower. He was drying his hair when Aaron stepped into the bathroom, Aaron settled in behind him, watching.

"Jack's nearly awake. I set out some pajamas for you to slip into. He was looking forward to coming in and cuddling with us little bit this morning, so last night I promised him that he could. The bedding is changed so go read while I shower real quick." Aaron kissed the back of Spencer's neck before he ducked into the shower.

Spencer finished up quickly and moved into the bedroom. There was a pair of pants draped on the bed but no shirt. Spencer dressed and slipped under the covers just as the door opened and Jack came running in. Spencer held up his father's side of the covers and the boy near dove into the bed. A few seconds of bouncing on the bed and Jack's head popped up out of the covers with a smile on his face.

"Good morning, Papa," Jack said with a smile on his face. Spencer leaned over and kissed his forehead.

"Good morning, Jackers." When Spencer pulled, he looked at Jack's face and saw that he was trying his hardest to keep something inside of him. Spencer raised an eyebrow.

"I love you reading to me at night."

"But?" Spencer asked. He rolled onto his side and looked at Jack's face, seeing the look on his face, it was one that took a few seconds for Spencer to place. It wasn't quite shame, but it was a mix between his it and hope, which was very odd.

"There is this new book series, and I really don't want to keep falling asleep while listening so I talked to Aunt Jess about it and she said to see if you would read to me. Maybe throughout the week, we could do a half an hour before dinner and on the weekends maybe an hour a day? When you are home that is."

"And what is this series, Jack?"

"It's called _The Keys to the Kingdom_ by Garth Nix. It's a science fantasy series. It's only a year or two above my reading level."

"Your father and I are going out somewhere today after breakfast so I'll see if we can stop and pick up the books. I'll read the first one at the store to see if it's something that your father and I agree that you should read."

"Thank you, Papa."

"And where did you hear about this book?"

"Aunt Jess and I were looking for books for her to read to me at night when I am staying with her. Sometimes Uncle Charlie or even Uncle Jackson read to me when we stay at Uncle Jackson's place."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. Uncle Jackson bought me Captain America sheets for the room that he made up for me."

Spencer's eyes brows raised up at that. He would have to text Jackson and ask him why he was wooing his son with a room. The fun that he was having with Jessica seemed to be something a little more than fun.

"It was so cool. Aunt Jess was speechless. We stayed over there while you were hurt and Dad went and visited you and then two days ago when Dad was working late, and you were on a case, we stayed over again. Uncle Charlie stayed the night as well. There is even a button in the room that I press when I want Aunt Jess, and it's in the middle of the night."

"That sounds awesome, Jackers."

Spencer was at least thankful that Jackson had the foresight to make sure that Jack wouldn't catch them in any sexual acts anywhere in the suite. Still, that didn't mean that he wasn't going to talk to him about his intentions towards Jessica, and possibly Charlie because it seemed that he was settling in fast with both of them. Having Jack a room inside of the suite was serious. Spencer wondered if Jessica had brought that up with Aaron at all. There were things like that that slipped through the cracks when they talked on the phone at night.

"It really does," Aaron said, and the look on his face when Spencer looked up at him said that he hadn't known about the room. While he didn't look upset, he did look as confused as Spencer felt. He walked across the room, and Jack held up the blanket so that Aaron could crawl into the bed with them. Aaron laid down and rolled over to lay on the bed in a mirror image of how Spencer was lying. Jack rolled onto his stomach, turning his head towards Aaron.

"Uncle Charlie did a science experiment with me at Aunt Jess's office the other day. He was shocked when I already knew it. I even told him the secret."

"Film rocket?" Spencer asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Jack giggled and shook the whole bed a little bit. "The look on his face was priceless. Especially when I was able to recreate it without his help. He promised that he would show me more math-like things the next time so that I could have something to show you instead."

"Charlie will have fun with that." Spencer slid down the bed a little more, laying his head on the pillow. Jack moved closer, almost tucking his head under Spencer's, which caused Aaron to move closer as well. He laid his hand over Jack's back and settled it on Spencer's hip. Spencer looked up at Aaron's face seeing such a look of happiness and contentment on his face. It was a look that Spencer had never seen on his face in the entire time that he had been married to Haley, and he had only come close to that look when he was with Jack. To have that look on Aaron's face around him, while just lying in bed with him and Jack told Spencer that this was the right choice for Aaron and for himself. Spencer laid his hand over Jack's eyes blocking him from seeing, and he leaned forward to kiss Aaron.

"Eww!" Jack said with a giggle.

Aaron smiled into the kiss, but he didn't pull back. Spencer tried to push all of his feelings into the simple kiss, his utter submission as well as his wholly consuming love for Aaron and for Jack. His peace at the life that they had found as well as his happiness at what they were. Aaron's hand slipped to Spencer's back, settling on his lower back. Spencer frowned mentally as Aaron usually was a little higher when he was trying to pull Spencer closer or lower on Spencer's ass. Spencer mentally mapped what he knew of his back and realized that Aaron's hand was over the empty book.

"This moment is perfect," Aaron whispered when he broke contact on the kiss. Spencer nodded dreamily. Jack sighed, but he was smiling when Spencer looked at him.

"Even if you two do mushy things like that."

Aaron grinned at Spencer as he shifted around, his hand leaving Spencer who wanted to whine at the loss of contact but the grin on his lover's face turned from happy to mischievous and before Jack could react, Aaron had him by the arms and was holding him still. Spencer sat up enough to where he could reach out and start to tickle the boy. Jack wiggled in his father's hold while Spencer attacked him with his fingers, dancing from spot to spot so that Jack wouldn't get overwhelmed from too much attention to a spot. Spencer kept a watch on Jack's face, and when he started to cry from laughing, Spencer stopped. Aaron just wrapped his arms around his son and held him close, letting Jack return to normal breathing. Spencer was cementing the way that they looked in his brain, making sure that he never forgot what they looked like when they were happy.

It was the only reason that he missed the fact that Aaron was speaking low in Jack's ear. Aaron shifted on the bed, and Spencer just smiled at him, catching the change in his look from happy to smug but not in enough time to react to Aaron pushing Jack down onto the bed and launching himself at Spencer. Aaron landed on top of him, turning Spencer onto his back, his legs pinned under Aaron's and his wrists caught in Aaron's hands. Spencer's hands were stretched above his head, and before Spencer could start to try and escape, Jack went after that single spot on his body that was ticklish. He hadn't even known about it before a session in the other world with the other Aaron in his playroom. Most people were ticklish in their armpits but for Spencer, it was between his pits and his elbow and too hard, and nothing happened. Feather light touches were needed, and Jack was doing that perfectly. Spencer tried his hardest to wiggle out of Aaron's hold, but the man had him pinned perfectly.

Jack only let up when Spencer was having trouble gasping in a breath. He stopped tickling Spencer and just laid down on his chest, looking at Spencer's face. Aaron let go of him and laid on his side, pressed into Spencer's side. Aaron slid a hand and arm under Spencer's head and wrapped the other around Jack and plastered that hand on Spencer's hip, a possessive hold on both Spencer and Jack, given that Jack was now trapped on top of Spencer.

"That wasn't fair, conspiring against me," Spencer said with a pout on his face. Jack wiggled down Spencer's body a little, to where he could set his hands on Spencer's chest and then lay his chin on top and look at Spencer. He had a grin on his face, and Spencer would do anything to keep that grin on his face.

"All's fair in love and war, that's what Dad says," Jack said with a grin.

Aaron pressed a kiss into Spencer's hair, his lips caressing the shell of Spencer's ear. "You deserve to laugh like that more often."

"Hey, no whispering," Jack said with a frown on his face. His eyes were still alight with happiness so Spencer just laughed at him.

"Afraid that your father and I will make a deal against you?" Spencer asked.

"I've already been tickled."

"You are right you have been and so have I, so that means that we will have to make a deal to get your father at a point that he least expects it."

"I always expect it, I know who the bosses are," Aaron said with his voice full of laughter and warmth. Jack started to giggle, and Spencer couldn't help but giggle along with him.

The rest of the early morning passed quickly with getting Jack packed up for the day and Spencer enduring Aaron dressing him. Spencer found a new shirt in his part of the closet and had balked at it. It was silk and white. It was so white that it was seethrough with regards to his back. His tattoos were visible in the mirror at Spencer's back. Aaron had only handed over a vest that would cover his back but still allow his arms to be seen in the bright sunshine. The pants were dark purple and once Spencer got them on near painted on. They were comfortable though, and Spencer did like them. He was going to get stared at all day long.

"You can't be serious, Aaron," Spencer said as he looked at the finished product of himself in the mirror in the bathroom. Aaron was behind him, dressed in tight black slacks and a green polo shirt.

"I am very serious. Everything will be understood when we get to our appointment. For now, just please, let me look at you and make every single person that we meet jealous." Aaron actually pouted, and it was a look that made him look ridiculous, so Spencer nodded. Spencer left the vest undone but started to button his dress shirt the rest of the way. Aaron had slipped a new pair of nipple rings on him, black diamonds and platinum. It would only be visible when Spencer moved in certain ways, making the vest fall open all the way.

Aaron stepped up behind him in the mirror and wrapped his arm around Spencer's waist, settling him back into his lover's body. "You look like a buffet to a starving man, but you also look thoroughly claimed that no one is going to touch you. I chose the white shirt because the collar stands out on it. You are mine, and everyone is going to know it."

Spencer had been right that everyone stared at him, men and women alike and even a few men that Spencer was sure were so straight that even looking at him made them break. Jack was dropped off with Jessica for the late morning. Spencer wasn't sure if anyone was over at her apartment as the bedroom door was shut, which is almost always was, no matter if she had a guest over or not. Jack had been looking forward spending the afternoon with her.

Aaron drove them to the far side of the town, and from a general parking lot, they walked a few blocks over. Spencer didn't understand what kind of appointment they could have in the area. It was a bit lower than the areas that Aaron usually hung out. As the distance left on the block lowered, Spencer figured out where they were going, and the reason for Aaron having his hand on Spencer's lower back was made understandable.

"He normally doesn't open up until around noon, but when I called to make the appointment, he told me that he has special slots for certain customers."

"Certain customers?" Spencer asked as he looked at the storefront for the tattoo shop.

"Masochists and their partners. Private settings so that pain and what it produces won't be visible to other clientele." Aaron laid a hand on Spencer's back, right over the empty book again. Spencer shivered. THe other Aaron had made sure for private sessions by having bought out the place where Spencer got his tattoos.

"How did you find this place?"

"Carlie told me about it. He makes a damned good mint off of several couples at the club. Let's go before we are late." Aaron reached over and opened the door, ushering Spencer inside first and locked the door behind him as he entered. Spencer moved to where the man was standing at the front desk.

"Doctor Reid, Brandon Travers. I'm going to be your artist today. Mr. Hotchner said that I was working off of another artist's work."

"Yes. The gentleman who gave me my originals ones left the area, and I needed a new one."

"I get a lot of people from the club. I usually am not doing something so big off of another's work so I'm going to take some time to get familiar with what you already have done. I'll show you to the room that I'll be doing your work in after we finish up the paperwork."

"Sounds good."

Spencer read over the paperwork as quickly as Brandon handed it over. Spencer signed each place or initialed where it was needed. Aaron followed them back to the room that was already set up for a back tattoo. The chair was at waist level as Spencer sat down. There were cutouts so that he could lay down if he wanted and still be comfortable. Aaron sat down in a chair at his side while Spencer stripped off his vest and his shirt. Aaron held out his hand for them and laid them across his lap.

"Would you prefer that I glove up for this part?"

"Ummm." Spencer looked at Aaron and Aaron nodded. "Yes, please."

"Okay." There was the sound of the gloves being snapped over hands and then a cool touch on Spencer's back as fingers traced the words already there and the image.

"This is exquisite work. I'm honored that you are trusting me to add to it. I'll do a sample of the script with the words you have chosen, Mr. Hotchner and let you approve it before I even lift a single needle."

"Thank you."

Spencer relaxed in the seat as he felt the fingers move over his skin, sometimes it was like Brandon was tracking the words to learn the curve and flow of the script. He couldn't relax all the way though because he didn't like a stranger touching but he knew that it needed to be done. Instead, he just forced himself to think about the work he would have waiting for him at his desk on Monday. Jackson had sent over the scouted locations for the next three server farms for Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Spencer had only glanced at them a little before he had closed them in an effort to get home on time. He hadn't even made it out of the office before Garcia had come running with a case.

"It's perfect," Aaron said, his voice just loud enough to where Spencer knew that he had spoken like he did to pull Spencer out of his thoughts. Spencer opened his eyes to look at his lover. Aaron smiled at Spencer as he handed the paper back to Brandon. Spencer closed his eyes again as he heard Brandon start to prepare the inks that were going to be used as well as opening up the equipment from its sterile packages. Spencer felt the transfer being applied to his back so that Brandon would have a guide. It was cool, but Spencer didn't react.

"Okay, Spencer, here I go." Brandon turned on the machine, and the hum started up. Spencer was utterly relaxed as he waited for that first sting of the needles and the flood that it caused inside of his body.

Spencer couldn't hold in the moan as the needles bit into him. There was the rush of adrenaline followed by the perfect feeling of floating as the sensations continued over his back. He tried to hold his mouth closed but Aaron shifting in his seat at Spencer opening his eyes. Aaron was crossing his left leg over his right, trying to hide the erection that he was sporting. Spencer gave him a wicked smile and licked at his lips. His arousal was pressed into the leather of the seat that he was plastered against. Spencer couldn't move though. He couldn't shift around to let Aaron know that he was hard as well. That Aaron got excited by the thought of Spencer aroused because of the needles had Spencer's head swimming.

"Brandon," Spencer said.

"Yes."

"Can you do this with the seat all the way down?" Spencer wanted Aaron's cock in his mouth, fucking his mouth while the needles painted his skin. To taste his lover, to that cock being the only thing that he cared about.

"Laying out flat? Yes, I can. Why?"

Spencer whined a little as Brandon raised up the needles, cutting the rush of pain from Spencer. Spencer wiggled in his seat, and Aaron's eyes narrowed as he caught onto what Spencer was doing.

"What are you thinking, Love?" Aaron asked.

"How much I want your cock in my mouth."

"Is that safe?" Aaron asked, looking at Brandon, not at Spencer.

"He's not moved a single inch while I have been doing this. He's breathing slowly and perfectly, not even allowing it to disrupt me. As long as we made it easy for him to signal that he needed to stop, I don't see why not."

Aaron nodded, and there was the clatter of an object being set down on the metal tray, and Spencer wasn't shocked when the seat he was on started to move, lowering down for him to lay down.

"I do not get off on pain, Doctor Reid but with the new position, I am going to have to sit right behind you on the seat of the chair. I will settle in with as much distance as I can keep but I will warn that watching you give Mr. Hotchner a blowjob might make he horny."

"Red-blooded enough to enjoy a show?" Aaron asked.

"I never liked blowjobs much until my second boyfriend taught me the correct way to enjoy one. Even just hearing one will get me horny. Seeing and hearing one while I sit here and do the thing that I love? If I'm not at least half hard before I even touch the needle to his back, I would be shocked."

Aaron stood up and moved his chair from Spencer's side to where he was right at the apex of the chair. He scooted as close as he could, freeing his erection as he did. Spencer moved up the chair until he found where he could just slip the entirety of Aaron's cock into his mouth and not move too much while letting Aaron fuck his mouth. Aaron reached over and grabbed something from the tray. Spencer saw that it was a metal basin that he could see evidence of gauze in.

"Drop this if you need to stop, Spencer," Aaron said as he handed it to Spencer. Spencer nodded and took the basin in his hand he felt the weight, and it wasn't too much, and with his hands resting on the chair back, he could hold it for as long as needed before he would need to move it to his other hand. "Open."

Spencer opened his mouth and hummed as Aaron grabbed his hair to pull his head down to take Aaron's cock all the way in his mouth. Spencer relaxed his body at the feel of flesh in his mouth and the taste of Aaron on his tongue. Aaron had been hard for a little while as there was the taste of his release all over the head of his cock.

"Fuck, he's barely even moving his back muscles at all as you sit and move him up and down on your cock, Mr. Hotchner, you and he have a profound bond."

"Thank you," Aaron said, his voice low with arousal.

Spencer felt Brandon move around on the chair, the metal tray moved as well, and Spencer could feel the heat of him.

"And contact in 3...2...1...now."

The bite of the needles on his back had Spencer groaning around Aron's cock. Aaron stopped moving his head, allowing Spencer to just sit there with Aaron's cock halfway in his mouth. Spencer started to suck, using his tongue to caress the cock as much as he could. He breathed through his mouth, enjoying the feel of pain and the taste of cock in his mouth. Spencer didn't even blink as Aaron moved him down enough to where the head of Aaron's cock slipped towards the back of his throat, going right past his relaxed muscles.

"Hold yourself still," Aaron commanded.

Spencer tensed up his neck muscles, giving Brandon time to figure out the differences in his skin as Aaron started to fuck Spencer's mouth, hard. Spencer moaned around the cock in his mouth as Aaron pulled out enough to let him breathe through his nose before the cock slid back in. Aaron fucked his mouth as gently as he could but still make it feel good as possible for the both of them while Brandon worked on the script on his back. Spencer started to float like he did when they played, losing track of time but not of what was being done to him and how it made him feel.

Two fingers tapped Spencer's cheek, and he prepared for Aaron's orgasm. Aaron pulled out enough to where Spencer actually had to focus on the cock in his mouth to make sure that he caught it all. Spencer tasted the first shot before he even felt the swell of the cock in his mouth, he used his tongue on the underside of the head of Aaron's cock to make him finish off as quick as he could as Spencer swallowed every single drop. Aaron's hand tightened in Spencer's hair but didn't pull Spencer off of him. No, Aaron held him right there as his cock softened inside of Spencer's mouth. Spencer sighed as he figured out that Aaron was going to keep Spencer's mouth on his cock for as long as the tattoo was being done. Spencer relaxed his neck a little and Aaron settled down, putting Spencer's neck at an angle that was more comfortable for him.

Spencer gave the cock a few minutes to get used to being in his mouth and to hopefully pass the point of too much, and he started to subtly suck on it. Another drop came out of the head, and Spencer swiped it away with his tongue.

"Dear God. I feel like I should spank you on principle," Aaron said, his voice fond.

"Is he playing?" Branon asked, his voice a shade huskier than it had been the last time that Spencer had heard him.

"Yes, he's going to get me hard again in no time at all. His mouth is wicked."

"It's a good thing that I am about three-fourths done isn't it?"

"Yes," Aaron said as he tightened his hand in Spencer's hair just a little more, countering the pain on Spencer's back and make Spencer moan around the cock in his mouth. He was so hard it wouldn't take much at all for him to come and he wanted to, so badly but with the cock in his mouth he couldn't speak.

"Well, I have a suitable lube here, and as long as you promise not to touch the tattoo, I can let you fuck him in here. I have to sterilize the room anyway. I'll pull the curtain, and the only thing that I'll do is listen in."

Spencer shook his head a little bit.

"No, you don't want me to fuck you or no, you don't mind if he watches?" Aaron asked.

Spencer nodded his head up and down a little at the second statement.

"Since the exhibition that we went to at the club where the two who were exhibiting and then after watched us, he's had a slight public fetish. If you want, Brandon, you can watch. He'll love to be fucked whether you are watching or not so don't make it seem like you have to watch us."

"I am not saying no to that. I'm on the last sentence." Brandon sounded half-wrecked, and Spencer was just on the edge of his erection being pleasantly painful. He had a little bit of time to get used to the idea of Brandon watching them. Aaron was right that it had started when they had allowed J and Q watch them play and then fuck.

Aaron's cock started to harden before Spencer thought that it would, the image of him fucking Spencer was probably helping that along. Spencer was floating on the edge of subspace again when he realized that the machine was turned off. He felt Aaron pulling his hard cock from his mouth and then something else was wadded up and shoved in his mouth. Spencer realized that it was a makeshift gag made out of something, but what Spencer didn't know. He didn't move as Aaron laid his forehead on the top of the chair head as he was pulled down just a little. Aaron made him lift up enough to where he could get Spencer's pants down enough to get access to his ass and hole. A single lube covered finger slid inside of his hole, and Spencer moaned loudly.

"That's why he is gagged," Aaron said.

Brandon laughed, but the man wasn't where Spencer could see. Spencer started to turn his head to find him when a hand smacked him, hard on the ass.

"Eyes forward." Aaron's voice was more sharp than hard, and Spencer snapped his head forward.

Spencer closed his eyes and dropped his head down again, forehead resting on the warmed leather. He felt Aaron's warmth settle in at his ass before two hands gripped his thighs, shifting him just enough to where Aaron could thrust inside of him. The entry was rough and quick, making Spencer scream his pleasure at it. It was just rough enough to cut Spencer arousal down to where he wasn't going to come the second that Aaron started to fuck him. Which Aaron did as soon as Aaron was ready for it. Spencer knew what Aaron was rocking in and out of him more than thrusting. Thrusting was tricky as it meant that Aaron could mess up and touch the tattoo. Aaron was doing a good job of making sure to not touch his stomach onto the tattoo, his cock sliding in and out of Spencer as hard and as fast as he could. Spencer reached up and grabbed the edges of the chair as hard as he could, keeping himself from moving all that much, giving Aaron a harder surface to fuck. It felt wonderful, and Spencer's cock was still trapped in his pants, thrusting into the hard surface of the chair, creating just enough friction that it wasn't long before he was almost to the point of orgasm. He held on though, putting all of his focus on that single aspect, not coming until Aaron told him to. Aaron's hands moved up from thighs to Spencer's waist, his thumbs lying just on the edge of the tattoo, pulling on the skin, the slight pain of that making Spencer groan in frustration.

Exhaling through his nose as hard as he could, Spencer inhaled just as quickly, trying to hold on just a little bit longer.

" _I want to touch the parts of you no one else has touched. I want to own the piece of you that has yet to be discovered. So stop resisting. Let go. Let it happen_ ," Aaron said as he fucked even harder into Spencer.

Spencer's brain was half short-circuited, and he didn't realize at first that Aaron was quoting what had been added to his back. As soon that thought sparked over his brain, Spencer came, not able to hold it back anymore. Spencer spat out that makeshift gag in his mouth and uttered Aaron's name before darkness claimed him from the rush of orgasm.

Soft and warm wetness was moving over Spencer's body as he came back to himself. He could feel that he was still in the chair and mostly in the same position, but there was a hand moving over him, a rag held in it. Spencer opened his eyes and saw that there was a metal tray blocking his vision. He watched as Aaron's hand dipped down into the bowl that was on the tray and wrung out the rag in his hand before it moved back towards Spencer's body.

"There you are," Aaron said, his voice soft.

"Here I am," Spencer said back, a soft smile on his face.

"I love you," Aaron whispered as he placed a kiss on Spencer's back, right between his shoulder blades.

"Love you, too," Spencer said just as soft. He turned to where he could look back at Aaron, seeing the fond smile on his face. Aaron was fully dressed, it seemed, and Brandon wasn't in the room, Spencer couldn't hear his breathing.

"Brandon is cleaning up his tools in the lab. He told us to take as much time as we wanted. You were beautiful. Holding on as long as you could." Aaron's words washed over Spencer as he moved the rag all over Spencer's arms, washing the sweat off of him.

"How does it look?"

"The tattoo is flawless, and I took a picture before we covered it in that goop that he gave me to put on it. When we get home, you will need to go around shirtless for a little while before you put on another shirt."

"Brandon printed out a list of instructions for you didn't he?"

"Faxed it to the office last week when I made the appointment. I've already bought plenty of shirts that will work for you, for at home and for at work. I've talked it over with JJ, and when you guys are on cases, she's going to help with the care of the tattoo since it's at a spot that is hard for you to reach, even with your long arms."

"Worrier," Spencer said. He was still slightly floating, and it felt wonderful. He settled in as Aaron finished washing him up. He smiled at Aaron when he felt the man kiss just at the top of the tattoo.

"Yes, I am. You are mine to worry about, mine to protect, Spencer." Aaron's hands moved up and down Spencer's side, settling in over his scar. Spencer knew that for a while, Aaron would be upset whenever Spencer was away from him, it was the side effect of the stabbing that he had gone through, but he knew that it would be fine. Aaron made him feel like the most important person in the world to him when he fussed like that.

"Are we almost ready to do?"

"Yes. I paid already, did that while you were on the case and yes there was an excellent tip on it already. I have a little more to slip to him given that we did in here."

"I thought that his tip was watching us?" Spencer said as he pushed himself into a sitting up position.

"Cheeky but no. That was just an added incentive to allow us to have sex in here."

"Given how blase he was about it, I am sure that we are not the only ones that have done it." Spencer pushed himself up to standing and realized that his pants had already been done up and he was even clean. Aaron had been very busy while Spencer had been passed out.

"Jack's waiting for us at home. He wanted to play in the backyard as there were too many kids at the park."

"We need to stop at the bookstore. The one that has the huge children's book section. I promised him that I would see about a book series to read to him."

"I heard that. We can stop there on the way home. It's not that far out of our way."

Spencer walked backward until he was clear of the chair and he wanted to look at his back, but he would wait until he was at home in the closet, getting the full view of his naked skin with the new ink.

Even with the stop at the bookstore to pick up the seven books that Jack wanted, Spencer and Aaron were pulling into the driveway under an hour later. Spencer frowned at the car that was parked beside them because it was not Jessica's and it wasn't anyone on the team. Jessica's car wasn't there at all.

"Where's Jack?"

"Inside. There is something else that I wanted to do today, and while we were...otherwise occupied, Carlie finished it up and wanted to bring it over as soon as possible. I hope that you like it."

"Well, since Carlie is the one working on it, it's something legal. I doubt that I'll 'like' it as legal means something that will be used when times are bad, either one of would be injured or dead so like is a strong term."

"I mean what I have had her draft up, the terms and...I swear sometimes that you should have become a lawyer."

"Sorry, I didn't want to show up my father that much. I went about my revenge another way." Spencer opened his car door as the front door to the house was opened up, and Carlie stepped into view.

"Broderick is running Jessica home. She and Jack took a cab as Jack talked her into it as he said that he had never ridden in one before. Jessica looked a little green when she talked about it, so I think that she's not going to ride in one again while Jack had a fun time."

"He's an odd one," Aaron said as he and Spencer neared Carlie. Aaron kissed her cheek as she stepped back and allowed them to enter their home. Spencer shut the door when Aaron cleared it, and Carlie had papers sitting right there on the stand where Spencer's bag was sitting.

"I figured that you would rather just get it over with, Spencer." Carlie grabbed Aaron's arm and linked it with hers, pulling Aaron into the living room and pushing him to sit on the couch while she took the love seat. Spencer picked up the papers. He sat down beside Aaron on the couch and flipped the page to the next. The legal jargon was slightly off-putting, so Spencer read slowly. It's Aaron's will, with a lot of addendums for the Hotchner family holdings and everything. Including a section where Jack and Jessica would be taken care of, as well as Spencer. The pages that followed took care of everything legally, including all of his benefits from the FBI. Spencer looked at Aaron and saw that he had another set of papers in his hand.

"That's my name," Spencer said as he held out his hand. Aaron handed the papers over, and Spencer scanned them quickly, the jargon not as startling after having read Aaron's will.

"You had your will in the safe in the bedroom when everything was moved, I saw it. I saw that you hadn't updated it and this is just a rough draft, taking into account everything to do with your mom and Grimes Tech. Carlie can make whatever changes are needed."

Spencer looked at Carlie and saw that she had another set of papers in her hand.

"This is the real reason for Carlie's visit." Aaron held out his hand, and Carlie handed the minimal stack of papers over. Spencer frowned as Aaron didn't give them to him right away. Spencer held out his hand, and Aaron took it and kissed the skin on the back of his hand.

"Has he done it yet?" Jack asked as he came running into the room. Spencer turned to look at him. Jack looked like he was ready to vibrate out of his skin.

"Has who done what?" Spencer asked.

"Oh. Sorry, Dad."

"It's fine, Jack." Aaron waved his son over, but Jack just moved over to sit down in Spencer's lap. Jack pulled the papers from Aaron's hands. He handed them to Spencer with a smile on his face.

"Sign them, Papa."

"Jack, I haven't even told him what they are."

"Aaron?" Spencer asked. He wasn't looking at the papers, he was looking at Jack and his father.

"Just look down, Spencer."

Spencer looked down, and the first word that popped out at him was adoption. His eyes took in the rest of the words, and he put them all in order in his head, Aaron wanted him to adopt Jack. Spencer didn't even hesitate as he reached out for the pen on the coffee table and used Jack's leg to sign the papers when he got to the end. Jack squealed and wrapped his arms around Spencer's neck and hugged him tightly. Aaron took the papers from him before Spencer wrapped his arms around Jack.

"Now you really are my Papa."

"Jack, my son." Spencer buried his head in Jack's neck and started to cry. Aaron scooted closer and wrapped his arms around both of them. Spencer just relaxed in his arms. It wasn't a fairy tale ending that any child would have dreamed of, but for Spencer it was perfect. He had his family, and that was all that mattered.

#  **The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, the final chapter of our story. We hate that the ride is ending but we had a lot of fun along the way. Wednesdays__child, we had so much fun writing this and we love that you love the story that we created for you. To everyone who stuck it out over the year plus that we were writing and posting this, thanks! And to new readers who waited for us to post it all, we hope the story was worth the long wait that you waited.


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